3.1. Publication Ethics

The editorial processes implemented in the SQAE are the foundation for the impartial and reputable development and dissemination of knowledge. The processes implemented in this regard have a direct impact on the quality of the manuscripts of the authors and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed studies are studies that embody and support the scientific method. In this regard, all stakeholders in the process (authors, readers, researchers, publishers, referees, and editors) must comply with standards for ethical principles. Within the scope of the SQAE publication ethics, all stakeholders are expected to bear the following ethical responsibilities.

The following ethical duties and responsibilities are based on the guidelines and policies published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) [https://publicationethics.org] as open access.

3.2. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

The author(s) who submit a manuscript to the SQAE are expected to comply with the following ethical responsibilities:

• The manuscript submitted by the author(s) is expected to be original. If the author(s) utilize or use other studies, they are required to cite and/or quote them completely and accurately.
• People who do not contribute intellectually to the content in the creation of the manuscript should not be specified as authors.
• All manuscripts submitted for publication should disclose all conflicts of interest and affiliation, if any exist.
• The author(s) may be requested to provide raw data on their manuscripts as part of the review process, in which case the author(s) should be prepared to provide the expected data and information to the Editorial Board and Scientific Committee.
• The author(s) must have a document showing that they have the rights to use the data utilized, the necessary permissions related to the research/analyses, or that the consent of the experimental subjects has been obtained.
• In the case that the author(s) becomes aware of an inaccuracy or error in their manuscript that has been published, is in early view, or is under review, the author(s) must notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor in correcting or retracting the manuscript.
• Authors cannot submit their manuscripts to more than one journal at the same time. Each submission can only be initiated following the completion of the previous submission. Manuscripts published in another journal cannot be submitted to the SQAE.
• It cannot be proposed to change the author(s)’ responsibilities (such as adding an author, changing the author order, or removing an author) of a manuscript that is under review.

3.3. Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

The SQAE editors and field editors should follow the ethical duties and responsibilities published in open access by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in the COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors [https://publicationethics.org/files/Code_of_conduct_for_ journal_editors_Mar11.pdf] and the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors [https://publicationethics.org/files/u2/Best_Practice.pdf]  [https://publicationethics.org/].

General Duties and Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for every publication published in the SQAE. In the context of this responsibility, editors have the following roles and obligations:

• Making efforts to meet the information needs of readers and authors,
• Ensuring the continuous development of the journal,
• Carrying out processes to improve the quality of the studies published in the journal,
• Supporting freedom of thought,
• Ensuring academic integrity,
• Maintaining business processes without compromising intellectual property rights and ethical standards,
• Demonstrating openness and transparency in terms of publication in matters requiring correction and clarification.

Relations with the Reader

Editors should consider the knowledge, skills, and experience needed by all readers, researchers, and practitioners in making decisions. Editors should ensure that the published manuscript aids the reader, researcher and practitioner, and that it contributes to the scientific literature and is original. Editors are also obliged to take into account feedback from readers, researchers and practitioners, and to provide explanatory and informative feedback.

Relations with Authors

The duties and responsibilities of the editors towards the authors are as follows:

• Editors should make a positive or a negative decision based on the significance, original value, validity, clarity of expression of the studies, and the aims and objectives of the journal.
• Studies that are suitable for publication should be included in the preliminary evaluation stage unless they have major problems.
• Editors should not ignore positive referee recommendations unless there is a major problem with the manuscript.
• New editors should not change the decisions made by the previous editor(s) unless there is a major problem.
• Blind Refereeing and Evaluation Process [Link] should be published and editors should prevent possible deviations from the defined processes.
• Editors should publish an Author's Guide [Link] detailing every aspect that authors can  expect of them. These guides should be updated periodically.
• Authors should be provided with explanatory and informative notification and feedback.

Relations with Referees

The duties and responsibilities of the editors towards the referees are as follows:

• Determining the referees in accordance with the subject of the study,
• Providing the information and guidelines that the referees will need during the evaluation phase,
• Ensuring that there is no conflict of interest between authors and reviewers,
• Keeping the identity of the referees confidential in the context of blind reviewing,
• Encouraging the referees to evaluate the manuscript in an unbiased, scientific and objective manner,
• Evaluating referees on metrics such as punctuality and performance,
• Determining practices and policies to improve the performance of referees,
• Taking the necessary steps to dynamically update the referee pool,
• Preventing unkind and unscientific evaluations,
• Taking steps to ensure that the referee pool consists of a wide range of referees.

Relations with the Editorial Board

Editors should ensure that all Editorial Board members carry out the processes in accordance with editorial policies and guidelines. They should inform Editorial Board members about editorial policies and keep them informed about developments. They should train new Editorial Board members on editorial policies and provide them with the information they need.

Editors should also:

• Ensure that Editorial Board members evaluate the studies impartially and independently,
• Identify new Editorial Board members who may contribute and have appropriate qualifications,
• Send members of the Editorial Board studies to evaluate that are appropriate to their areas of expertise,
• Interact with the Editorial Board regularly,
• Organize periodic meetings with the Editorial Board for the development of editorial policies and the journal.

Relations with the Journal Owner and Publisher

The relationship between editors and publishers is based on the principle of editorial independence. In accordance with the written contract between the editors and the publisher, all decisions taken by the editors are independent of the publisher and the journal owner.

Editorial and Blind Refereeing Processes

Editors are obliged to implement the Blind Refereeing and Evaluation Process [Link] policies in accordance with the journal’s publication policies. In this regard, the editors ensure that each manuscript is reviewed in a fair, impartial, and timely manner.

Quality Assurance

Editors are responsible for the publication of each manuscript in accordance with the journal's editorial policies and international standards.

Protection of Personal Data

Editors are responsible for ensuring the protection of personal data regarding the subjects or images included in the evaluated manuscripts. Unless the explicit consent of the individuals included in the manuscript is documented, they are responsible for rejecting the manuscript. Editors are also responsible for protecting the personal data of authors, referees and readers.

Ethics Committee Approval and Human and Animal Rights

Editors are responsible for ensuring that human and animal rights are protected in the manuscripts under review. They are responsible for rejecting the manuscript in the absence of Ethics Committee approval for the subjects used in the studies and permissions for experimental research.

Prevention of Possible Abuse and Misconduct

Editors are obliged to take precautions against possible abuse and misconduct. In addition to conducting a rigorous and objective investigation in identifying and evaluating such complaints, it is the editor's responsibility to share the relevant findings.

Ensuring the Integrity of Academic Publications

Editors should ensure that errors, inconsistencies or misleading judgments are corrected quickly.

Protection of Intellectual Property Rights

Editors are responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of all published manuscripts and defending the rights of the journal and the author(s) in case of possible violations. In addition, editors are obliged to take the necessary measures to ensure that the content of all published manuscripts does not violate the intellectual property rights of other publications. See Plagiarism Check [Link]

Constructive Criticism and Openness to Discussion

Editors should:

• Consider how to be most persuasive in their criticism of published manuscripts and adopt a constructive attitude,
• Allow the author(s) of the criticized manuscript(s) the right to reply,
• Not ignore or exclude manuscripts with negative results.

Complaints

Editors are obliged to carefully review complaints from authors, reviewers or readers and respond in an enlightening and explanatory manner.

Political and Commercial Concerns

Neither the owner of the journal nor the publisher, and no other political or commercial factors influence the independent judgment of the editors.

Conflicts of Interest

The editors guarantee the independent and impartial completion of the publication process, taking into account any conflicts of interest between the author(s), referees and other editors.

3.4. Ethical Responsibilities of Referees

The evaluation of all manuscripts by Blinded Refereeing [Link] directly affects the quality of publication. This process provides confidence through objective and independent evaluation of the publication. The SQAE evaluation process is based on the principle of double-blind refereeing. Referees cannot communicate directly with the authors; evaluations and comments are communicated through the journal management system. In this process, referee comments on evaluation forms and full texts are forwarded to the author(s) through the editor. In this regard, referees reviewing manuscripts for the SQAE are expected to maintain the following ethical responsibilities:

• Only studies related to the area of expertise should be accepted for evaluation.
• Evaluation should be carried out with impartiality and confidentiality.
• If it is considered that there is a conflict of interest during the evaluation process, the manuscript should be refused and the journal editor should be informed.
• Due to the principle of confidentiality, the reviewed manuscript should be destroyed after the evaluation process. Only the final versions of the reviewed manuscript should be used after publication.
• Evaluation should be carried out objectively and only concern the content of the manuscript. Nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, political beliefs, and commercial concerns should not be allowed to influence the evaluation.
• Reviews should be constructive and courteous. Derogatory personal comments, hostility and insulting language should be avoided.
• Manuscripts accepted for evaluation should be evaluated promptly and in accordance with the above ethical responsibilities.

3.5. Ethical Responsibilities of the Publisher

The Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs (EPDAD) [https://www.epdad.org.tr], publisher of the SQAE, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization working for the public benefit. In accordance with its founding philosophy, EPDAD publishes the SQAE. In this regard, EPDAD and the EPDAD Board of Directors act with awareness of the following ethical responsibilities regarding the SQAE:

• Editors are responsible for all the processes regarding the manuscripts submitted to the SQAE. In this regard, the editors are the decision-makers, regardless of economic or political gains.
• EPDAD is committed to independent editorial judgment.
• EPDAD protects the property and copyright of every manuscript published in the SQAE and undertakes to keep a record of every published copy.
• EPDAD has the responsibility to take measures against editorial misconduct, citation fraud and plagiarism.

3.6. If You Encounter an Unethical Situation

If you encounter any unethical behavior or content in the SQAE other than the ethical responsibilities mentioned above, please report it via email to sqae@epdad.org.