Ethics Policy

 

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND PUBLICATION POLICY

 

Anatolia Sport Research is an open-access, peer-reviewed, and online scientific journal published three times a year (April, August, and December). The journal aims to publish original research articles and review studies in the field of sports sciences in accordance with scientific publishing principles.

 

The publication processes of the journal are based on the objective, reliable, transparent, and ethical production, evaluation, and sharing of scientific knowledge. Peer-reviewed publishing is considered one of the fundamental mechanisms in preserving and improving scientific quality. Accordingly, all stakeholders involved in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, editorial board members, and readers—are expected to act in accordance with the principles of academic integrity, objectivity, transparency, confidentiality, and accountability.

 

Anatolia Sport Research fulfills its ethical duties and responsibilities in accordance with international publishing standards and good practice principles, primarily those of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal bases all its processes regarding research and publication ethics on COPE guidelines and internationally accepted ethical principles.

 

RESEARCH ETHICS

 

Anatolia Sport Research considers strict compliance with research ethics mandatory for all published studies and necessitates adherence to national and international ethical standards in research conducted with human or animal participants.

 

  1. Ethics Committee Approval

 

For all research conducted with human or animal participants, an Ethics Committee Approval granted by the relevant institution or board must have been obtained. Documentary analysis, systematic reviews, or studies conducted exclusively with publicly available data may be considered exempt from this requirement; however, the editorial team may request additional explanations when necessary.

 

  1. Informed Consent and Voluntary Participation

 

Informed consent based on free will must be obtained from the individuals participating in the research by providing adequate information about the study's purpose, method, potential risks, and areas of use. Legal representative approval is mandatory for children, individuals under guardianship, or participants with limited decision-making capacity.

 

  1. Participant Rights, Confidentiality, and Data Protection

 

Research should be planned and conducted in a manner that protects the autonomy, privacy, and human dignity of the participants. Personal information obtained from participants must be kept confidential; it must be processed in accordance with data protection and anonymity principles.

 

  1. Research Integrity and Ethical Violations

The following practices are considered ethical violations:

  • Plagiarism
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Duplicate submission or publication
  • Salami slicing
  • Unfair or incomplete authorship declaration
  • Copyright infringement
  • Concealment of a conflict of interest

 

When such violations are detected, the journal applies the necessary editorial procedures in accordance with COPE guidelines.

 

  1. Originality and Similarity Check

 

All studies submitted to the journal must be original, must not have been previously published, and must not be under review in another journal. All submissions are examined through similarity detection software, and the similarity rate is expected not to exceed 20%. The editorial board conducts the evaluation by considering not only the rate but also the nature of the similarity.

 

  1. Author Responsibility

 

All responsibility regarding the planning, execution, and reporting of the research in accordance with ethical principles belongs to the authors. It is the authors' obligation to ensure that the necessary permissions have been obtained and that ethical declarations are presented accurately.

 

PUBLICATION ETHICS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Anatolia Sport Research bases its publication processes on the principles of scientific integrity, objectivity, transparency, and accountability. All stakeholders participating in the publication process—editors, reviewers, authors, and editorial board members—are expected to act in accordance with ethical principles. The journal conducts all its editorial processes in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

 

  1. Responsibilities of Editors

 

Editors are obliged to protect the scientific quality and ethical standards of the journal. Within this scope, editors:

 

  • Evaluate all submitted studies solely on the basis of their scientific merit, independent of the authors' institutional identity, academic title, gender, nationality, or personal characteristics.
  • Make publication decisions in an objective, independent, and fair manner.
  • Ensure that the peer review process is conducted in a transparent and reliable manner that complies with the double-blind peer review principle.
  • Ensure that at least two independent reviewer opinions are obtained.
  • Maintain confidentiality among reviewers, authors, and the editorial team.
  • Evaluate potential ethical violation claims (plagiarism, data falsification, duplicate publication, conflict of interest, etc.) in accordance with COPE guidelines.
  • Manage conflicts of interest and preserve independence in the editorial process.
  • Ensure that intellectual property rights and copyrights are respected.
  • Publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.
  • Do not share the confidential contents of submitted articles with third parties or unsecure digital systems; do not upload them to generative artificial intelligence tools.

 

  1. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers (Evaluators)

 

The peer review process is the fundamental guarantee of scientific publication quality. Reviewers are expected to comply with the following ethical principles:

 

  • Accepting to evaluate only studies that fall within their area of expertise,
  • Evaluating the studies objectively, constructively, and within the framework of academic courtesy,
  • Keeping all information and documents confidential during the review process,
  • Not using the article content in their personal research or sharing it with third parties,
  • Reporting potential conflicts of interest to the editor,
  • Reporting suspected ethical violations (plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, etc.) to the editor,
  • Completing reviewer reports within the specified time frame,
  • Supporting their final evaluations with clear, justified, and constructive suggestions,
  • Not uploading the contents of the reviewed articles to third-party artificial intelligence systems under any circumstances.
  •  
  1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

 

Authors submitting a study to the journal are deemed to have accepted the following ethical obligations:

  • Pledging that the submitted study is original, has not been previously published, and is not under review elsewhere,
  • Guaranteeing that the research was conducted in accordance with scientific and ethical standards,
  • Obtaining the necessary ethics committee approvals, institutional permissions, and participant consents,
  • Providing the necessary copyright permissions for scales, visuals, tables, or other materials used in the study,
  • Declaring that all authors have made a meaningful academic and scientific contribution to the study,
  • Ensuring the consensus of all co-authors regarding the order of authorship,
  • Explicitly disclosing conflicts of interest and financial support sources, if any,
  • Sharing the dataset or supplementary documents when requested by the editor or reviewer,
  • Fulfilling the revisions requested during the peer review process in a timely and transparent manner,
  • Submitting the necessary declarations in line with the journal's Artificial Intelligence Usage Policy if artificial intelligence is used.
  • Adding the ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) numbers of all authors completely and accurately to the article submission system,
  • Explicitly stating any financial support, project support, or institutional funding in the study within the "Funding Statement" section,
  • Providing the name of the funding institution and the project number (if any) completely.

 

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY POLICIES

 

  1. Open Access Policy

 

Anatolia Sport Research implements an open-access publishing model, adopting the principle that scientific knowledge should be universally and freely accessible.

 

All contents published in the journal are available online without requiring any subscription or fee. Readers can; read, download, share, and use the published articles for academic purposes, provided they give appropriate citation.

 

The open-access policy aims to support the dissemination of knowledge to broader audiences and the strengthening of scientific interaction.

 

  1. Complaints and Appeals Policy

 

The journal handles all complaints and appeals regarding editorial decisions, peer review processes, and publication ethics in a transparent, objective, and systematic manner.

 

Authors can submit their appeals against editorial decisions to the Editorial Board via the journal's official communication channels within 15 days from the notification of the decision, providing a justified and evidence-based explanation.

 

Submissions are primarily evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief; in deemed necessary situations, the opinion of an independent editor or editorial board member who was not involved in the process may be sought.

 

Ethical violation claims, complaints, and appeals are evaluated in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) principles; within the framework of confidentiality, objectivity, impartiality, and the avoidance of conflict of interest principles.

 

  1. Post-Publication Discussion and Academic Dialogue Policy

 

Anatolia Sport Research supports constructive academic discussions and scientific feedback regarding published studies.

 

Readers, researchers, and relevant stakeholders can convey their scientific evaluations, criticisms, or comments regarding published articles to the editorial office. The editorial office, when deemed necessary, may share these notifications with the respective authors and may apply the following editorial procedures to preserve the integrity of the scientific process:

  • Correction
  • Editorial note
  • Expression of concern
  • Retraction
  •  

All post-publication evaluations are conducted within the framework of academic courtesy, scientific evidence, and ethical principles.

 

  1. Data Availability Statement

 

Anatolia Sport Research adopts the principle of transparency in research data.

 

Authors must clearly state the following information regarding the datasets used in their articles:

 

  • Where and how the data can be accessed
  • Whether the dataset is open-access
  • The justification for data access restrictions, if necessary
  • Data sharing link (if applicable)
  •  

If data sharing is not possible, the reason for this must be clearly explained (such as ethical, legal, or institutional constraints).

 

ARTICLE EVALUATION PROCESS

 

All studies submitted to Anatolia Sport Research undergo a multi-stage evaluation process in terms of scientific quality, ethical compliance, and alignment with the journal's scope. The evaluation process is conducted on the basis of double-blind peer review. The journal aims to complete all evaluation processes as quickly as possible and within reasonable timeframes.

 

  1. Editorial Screening

 

Studies submitted to the journal are first evaluated by the editorial team based on the following criteria:

 

  • Compliance with the journal's aims and scope
  • Adherence to formatting guidelines and the article template
  • Complete submission of required documents
  • Appropriateness of ethical declarations
  • Review of the similarity report

 

Studies that do not meet the necessary conditions at this stage may be returned to the author or rejected without being included in the peer review process.

 

  1. Editorial Pre-Evaluation

 

Studies that pass the preliminary screening are evaluated by the editor or the relevant section editor in terms of scientific content, methodological adequacy, and originality. At this stage, the editor may:

 

  • Reject the article directly,
  • Request preliminary revisions from the author,
  • Direct the study to the peer review process.

 

  1. Peer Review Process

 

Eligible studies are sent to at least two independent reviewers who are experts in their fields.

The peer review process is conducted in line with the following principles:

 

  • Double-blind peer review is applied; author and reviewer identities are mutually kept confidential.
  • Reviewers are expected to provide detailed evaluations from scientific, ethical, and methodological perspectives.
  • Additional reviewer opinions may be sought in cases deemed necessary.
  • Minor or major revisions may be requested from authors based on the reviewer reports.
  • Revised studies may be sent back for peer review if deemed necessary.

 

  1. Final Editorial Decision

 

As a result of reviewer opinions and the editorial evaluation, one of the following decisions is made regarding the article:

 

  • Accept
  • Minor revision
  • Major revision
  • Reject

 

The final publication decision is made by the editor.

 

  1. Language Control, Layout, and Preparation for Publication

 

Accepted studies undergo the following procedures before publication:

 

  • Language and expression control
  • Formal editing and layout
  • DOI assignment
  • Final author approval

 

Technical corrections may be requested from authors at this stage.

 

  1. Right to Retract an Article

 

Authors may request the withdrawal of their articles before the editorial process is completed. The withdrawal request must be notified in writing to the editorial office with the knowledge and approval of all authors.

 

INTEGRITY OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS AND ETHICAL COMMUNICATION POLICY

 

Anatolia Sport Research fundamentally requires that the editorial evaluation and peer review processes be conducted in accordance with the principles of independence, objectivity, and scientific impartiality.

 

Within this scope, the fundamental ethical principles expected from authors and third parties are as follows:

 

  • No attempts should be made to influence the evaluation process through personal or institutional relationships with editors, editorial board members, or reviewers.
  • Requests to expedite the evaluation process, to conduct a privileged evaluation, or to influence the editorial decision are considered unethical.
  • Requesting information about the process is permissible; however, repetitive or guiding communication attempts may be considered as interference with editorial independence.
  • In cases involving requests for favoritism, inappropriate pressure, or unethical manipulation, the journal reserves the right to apply the necessary administrative and ethical procedures.
  • When necessary, situations with a serious suspicion of ethical violations may be reported to the relevant institutions or authorized academic bodies.

 

The journal conducts all evaluation processes within the framework of transparency, equality, and academic integrity principles and does not tolerate unethical interventions aimed at compromising the integrity of this process.

 

REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ACCURACY POLICY

 

Anatolia Sport Research places importance on the accuracy, completeness, and accessibility of the sources used in all submitted studies in order to protect academic integrity and publication ethics. Within this scope, authors:

 

  • Are obliged to cite all the sources they have utilized in their articles completely and accurately.
  • Must organize their bibliography and in-text citations in accordance with the APA 7 (American Psychological Association, 7th Edition) guidelines.
  • Are responsible for checking the accuracy and accessibility of the cited sources prior to submission.

 

As part of the editorial process, the accuracy of the bibliography and citations may be further examined by the editorial office when deemed necessary, and digital source checking tools (e.g., Reference Check) may be utilized for verification purposes.

 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) USAGE POLICY

 

Anatolia Sport Research regulates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic publication processes within the framework of scientific integrity, transparency, and accountability principles. This policy has been prepared in line with the STM Association (2025) recommendations and international publishing ethical standards.

Artificial intelligence tools are not accepted as authors, reviewers, or editors; all academic responsibility rests with the human authors and the editorial team.

 

  1. General Principles

 

  • The use of artificial intelligence tools must not undermine the originality, accuracy, and scientific reliability of the research.
  • All generated content must be controlled by the user (author/reviewer/editor) under full academic responsibility.
  • The use of artificial intelligence must be appropriately declared as per the principle of transparency.

 

  1. Use of Artificial Intelligence for Editors

 

Acceptable Uses

 

  • Language editing and formal checking (proofreading)
  • Supporting the checks of ethical declarations and forms
  • Technical editorial pre-evaluation processes

 

Prohibited Uses

 

  • Basing publication acceptance/rejection decisions on AI output
  • Creating or altering reviewer reports with AI
  • Uploading article contents to third-party artificial intelligence systems

 

  1. 3. Use of Artificial Intelligence for Reviewers

 

Limited Use

 

  • Personal support aimed at improving language and expression clarity
  • Linguistic editing in the drafting of the reviewer report

 

Prohibited Use

 

  • Uploading the entirety or sections of the article under review to artificial intelligence systems
  • Generating or guiding the reviewer's opinion via artificial intelligence
  • Sharing the article content with third parties or platforms

 

  1. Use of Artificial Intelligence for Authors

 

Uses Not Requiring Declaration

 

  • Language correction, spelling, and academic expression improvements
  • Text formatting and technical editing

 

Uses Requiring Declaration

 

  • Generating text sections as drafts or rewriting them with artificial intelligence
  • Using artificial intelligence in translation processes
  • Generating visuals, tables, or graphs with artificial intelligence
  • Using artificial intelligence for literature review or source recommendations

 

Such uses must be explicitly stated during the article submission and must include at least the following information:

 

  • The name of the artificial intelligence tool used
  • The purpose of use
  • The human control and verification process

 

  1. Prohibited Uses

 

The following practices are considered ethical violations:

 

  • Presenting contents generated by artificial intelligence as original research data
  • Using fictitious sources or citations
  • Generating data, analyses, or findings by artificial intelligence
  • Submitting artificial intelligence outputs directly for publication without human oversight

 

  1. Transparency and Ethical Responsibility

 

  • The use of artificial intelligence must be explicitly declared during the article submission.
  • The editorial office may request additional explanations or verification when deemed necessary.
  • If undeclared use of artificial intelligence is detected, the process is subjected to an ethical review.

 

 

  1. Sanctions

 

If an ethical violation is detected, the following procedures may be applied:

 

  • Suspension of the article's evaluation process
  • Retraction of the published article
  • Sanctions against the author/reviewer/editor
  • Notification to the relevant institutions

 

COMMERCIAL INDEPENDENCE AND COMMUNICATION POLICY

 

  1. Advertising and Commercial Independence Policy

 

Anatolia Sport Research does not accept advertisements, sponsorships, or commercial promotional content.

 

All editorial decisions of the journal are made solely on the basis of scientific quality, ethical compliance, and academic contribution. Editorial processes are conducted independently of advertisements, financial interests, or any commercial pressure. This independence is the fundamental guarantee of the journal's scientific integrity.

 

  1. Direct Communication and Marketing Policy

 

Communication and article invitation processes conducted on behalf of the journal are carried out exclusively based on academic appropriateness and scientific expertise.

 

Within this scope:

 

  • Invitations are directed to researchers and experts whose work aligns with the journal's scope.
  • Public and academic data are taken as the basis in communication processes.
  • Bulk, unauthorized, or misleading e-mail distributions (spam) are not conducted.
  • Aggressive, misleading, or manipulative marketing activities are not accepted.
  • The aim, scope, publication policy, and processes of the journal are presented clearly and accurately in all communications.