1. GENERAL ETHICAL STANDARDS AND COMMITMENT
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) adopts integrity, impartiality, transparency, accountability, and scientific responsibility as the fundamental principles guiding the production, evaluation, and publication of scientific knowledge. The Journal considers the prevention of ethical misconduct in academic publishing not merely as an obligation, but as an indispensable responsibility for the sustainability of science.
In this context, TVJ commits to conducting its editorial processes and ethical practices in full compliance with the principles and guidelines of the following internationally recognized organizations:
• COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics): COPE guidelines and flowcharts are taken as the basis for the prevention, identification, and management of publication ethics violations.
• ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors): ICMJE recommendations are adopted with respect to authorship criteria, conflict of interest disclosures, clinical research ethics, and reporting standards.
• WAME (World Association of Medical Editors): Editorial independence, editorial responsibilities, and transparency in publication processes are upheld in accordance with WAME principles.
• EASE (European Association of Science Editors): Scientific writing quality, editorial standards, and ethical editorial practices are conducted in line with EASE guidelines.
TVJ does not merely reference these international ethical frameworks; it commits to actively integrating these principles into all stages of its publication processes and to reviewing them on a regular basis. Editors, reviewers, and authors are deemed to have accepted compliance with these ethical standards for all manuscripts submitted to the Journal.
Journal policies are updated when necessary in line with current ethical discussions in scientific publishing and international developments, and such updates are publicly announced.
2. ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORS
All authors submitting manuscripts to the Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) acknowledge that they fully assume the ethical, scientific, and legal responsibility for the submitted work. Authors are required to comply with international publication ethics principles throughout all stages of the research process, from study design to publication.
The fundamental ethical obligations that authors must adhere to are outlined below:
• Originality and duplicate submission: Manuscripts submitted to TVJ must be entirely original. Studies that have been previously published in any language, accepted for publication, or are under evaluation by another journal may not be submitted. The status of theses, conference papers, or preprints must be clearly disclosed to the editor.
• Plagiarism and similarity check: All manuscripts are screened using iThenticate (Crossref Similarity Check) software prior to peer review and, when deemed necessary, during the publication stage. Manuscripts exceeding acceptable similarity thresholds, containing improperly cited material, or involving text recycling (self-plagiarism) are excluded from evaluation.
• Data integrity and accuracy: Fabrication, falsification, or misleading presentation of research data is considered a serious ethical violation. The Editorial Board reserves the right to request raw data, ethics committee approval documents, and analysis outputs when deemed necessary.
• Authorship criteria: Authorship is limited to individuals who have made a significant intellectual contribution to at least one of the following stages: study design, execution, data analysis, or interpretation. Gift authorship and ghost authorship are regarded as ethical misconduct. Author contributions must be clearly stated.
• Salami slicing: The artificial division of results derived from a single study into multiple publications in a manner that compromises scientific integrity is not acceptable.
• Conflict of interest and funding: Authors are required to disclose any financial, academic, or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the study. All sources of funding must be clearly stated in the manuscript.
• Post-publication responsibility: Authors are obliged to promptly inform the editors if they identify a significant error or ethical issue after publication and to cooperate fully in correction or retraction processes.
• Author contribution statements: Where applicable, authors are encouraged to present contribution statements in accordance with the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system.
3. ANIMAL WELFARE AND RESEARCH ETHICS
• The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) recognizes animal welfare and ethical responsibility as fundamental principles in scientific research conducted in the field of veterinary medicine. All experimental and clinical studies involving live animals must be designed, conducted, and reported in accordance with universally accepted ethical standards.
• Research involving animals to be published in TVJ must comply with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki, the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The infliction of unnecessary pain, distress, or harm to animals is not acceptable.
• For all studies involving live animals, animal tissues, or animal-related clinical records, approval from a competent ethics committee is mandatory. The name of the ethics committee, approval number, and approval date must be clearly stated in the Methods section of the manuscript. Manuscripts that fail to include or document ethics committee approval will not be considered for evaluation under any circumstances.
• Authors are expected to adopt the 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) during the design and conduct of their studies. This includes replacing animal use with alternative methods whenever possible, minimizing the number of animals used while maintaining scientific validity, and reducing pain, stress, and discomfort experienced by animals.
• For studies involving in vivo animal experiments, compliance with the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) guidelines is strongly recommended to ensure transparency and reproducibility in reporting.
• In clinical studies and case reports involving owned animals, it must be clearly stated that informed consent was obtained from the animal owner. Studies lacking documented owner consent will not be considered for evaluation.
4. USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) bases its policy on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scientific publishing on the current guidelines of COPE, the authorship and responsibility principles of ICMJE, and internationally recognized best practices in academic publishing. The Journal permits the limited and transparent use of AI-assisted tools; however, it explicitly states that full scientific responsibility rests solely with human authors.
The use of artificial intelligence in TVJ is subject to the following fundamental principles:
• AI tools cannot be listed as authors and do not meet authorship criteria. The scientific, ethical, and legal responsibility for the manuscript lies entirely with the authors.
• AI tools may be used for supportive purposes, such as language editing, proofreading, or improving textual clarity. The use of AI for data generation, result production, interpretation, or scientific inference is not permitted.
• If AI tools are used at any stage of manuscript preparation, the tools used and their specific purposes must be clearly disclosed at the end of the manuscript. Failure to provide such disclosure is considered an ethical violation.
• Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and proper citation of content generated with the assistance of AI. In cases where AI-generated misinformation, fabricated references, or erroneous content is identified, the editors reserve the right to impose appropriate sanctions.
• Uploading confidential documents or manuscript content to AI tools during the peer review process is strictly prohibited.
TVJ closely monitors developments in artificial intelligence technologies and reserves the right to update its ethical policies in this area in accordance with international guidelines.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EDITORS AND REVIEWERS
At the Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ), the editorial evaluation process is conducted in accordance with the principles of scientific merit, impartiality, and confidentiality. Editors and reviewers are responsible for ensuring that the scientific content entrusted to them is evaluated in compliance with ethical standards.
The fundamental principles that editors and reviewers must adhere to at TVJ are outlined below:
• The journal applies a double-blind peer review system, in which the identities of authors and reviewers are mutually concealed throughout the evaluation process.
• Editors base their decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts solely on the scientific quality, originality, methodological soundness, and ethical compliance of the work. The authors’ institutional affiliation, academic title, nationality, or personal characteristics must not influence editorial decisions.
• The publisher, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, does not interfere with editorial decision-making processes. Editors act in accordance with the principle of editorial independence.
• Editors and reviewers are required to promptly disclose any conflicts of interest that may arise during the evaluation process and, where necessary, to withdraw from the review process.
• Reviewers are obliged to evaluate manuscripts in a scientific, constructive, timely, and impartial manner. Reviewer reports must not contain personal opinions, offensive language, or personal attacks.
• Editors and reviewers treat all information and documents obtained during the evaluation process as confidential and may not use such information for personal or academic gain.
• Editors are authorized to initiate appropriate investigations in cases of suspected ethical misconduct, to request explanations from authors, and to take action in accordance with COPE guidelines when necessary.
6. POST-PUBLICATION PROCESSES
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) continues to uphold the scientific accuracy and ethical integrity of published articles even after the completion of the publication process. Errors, ethical violations, or matters of concern that may arise after publication are addressed in accordance with the principles of transparency and accountability.
The fundamental principles governing post-publication processes at TVJ are outlined below:
• In cases where material or typographical errors that do not affect the scientific content of a published article are identified, a correction (erratum/corrigendum) is issued. Corrections are clearly linked to the original article.
• If serious errors, data fabrication, or ethical violations that significantly undermine scientific reliability are identified, the article may be retracted in accordance with COPE guidelines. Retraction decisions are announced transparently, and the publication record is preserved.
• When serious ethical or scientific concerns regarding a published article exist but have not yet been conclusively resolved, the editors may issue an expression of concern.
• Authors may submit a written appeal against the rejection of their manuscripts or against editorial decisions made after publication, provided that the appeal is based on scientific grounds. Appeals are considered only once.
• All decisions made during post-publication processes are based solely on scientific evidence and ethical principles; personal, institutional, or external pressures must not influence decision-making.
7. PUBLICATION FEES, OPEN ACCESS, AND COPYRIGHT
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) supports the free, equitable, and sustainable dissemination of scientific knowledge. In line with this principle, the Journal adopts a publication policy that is independent of commercial interests.
The fundamental principles regarding publication fees, open access, and copyright at TVJ are outlined below:
• TVJ does not charge any article processing charges (APCs) or submission/evaluation fees at any stage of manuscript submission, review, acceptance, or publication.
• All articles published in the Journal are made available under an open access model, ensuring free and unrestricted access to scientific content. TVJ adopts the principles of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).
• At the time of manuscript submission through the Journal’s online submission system, authors are required to approve the Copyright (Publication Rights) Transfer Agreement, thereby transferring the rights related to publication, reproduction, distribution, archiving, and electronic dissemination of the work to the Turkish Veterinary Journal.
• The transfer of publication rights constitutes a prerequisite for the evaluation process. Manuscripts for which the transfer agreement has not been approved are not considered for editorial review.
• While publication rights are transferred, the authors retain their moral rights related to the scientific content of the work. Authors may use their articles for academic and educational purposes, provided that appropriate citation is given.
• TVJ commits to ensuring the long-term digital preservation and accessibility of published content. Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of scientific and ethical criteria and are independent of the access model or copyright arrangements.
8. COMMUNICATION AND POLICY UPDATES

• The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) is committed to transparent communication in all matters related to ethical principles and publication policies. Authors, reviewers, and readers may submit ethical misconduct reports, policy-related comments, and inquiries regarding publication processes to the Journal in written form.
• TVJ regularly monitors international ethical developments, current guidelines, and best practices in scholarly publishing. Accordingly, the Journal’s ethical principles and publication policy may be updated when necessary. Any updates are publicly announced through the Journal’s official communication channels, and the most current version of the policy is made accessible on the Journal’s website.
• All ethical misconduct reports and correspondence related to publication policies are handled in accordance with the principles of confidentiality.

9. ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIP, AND EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) conducts its scientific publishing activities in accordance with the principle of editorial independence. All content published in the Journal is evaluated without regard to any commercial, institutional, or personal interests.
The fundamental principles governing advertising and sponsorship practices at TVJ are outlined below:
• Any advertising or sponsorship content that may appear in the Journal is entirely independent of editorial content. Advertisers or sponsors have no influence whatsoever on the selection, evaluation, acceptance, or rejection of manuscripts.
• Editors and reviewers make their decisions solely on the basis of scientific merit and ethical considerations, independent of any advertising, sponsorship, or financial support relationships.
• A clear distinction is maintained between advertising or sponsorship content and scientific content, and practices that may mislead readers are not permitted.
• TVJ commits to safeguarding its editorial independence against any form of external interference that could potentially affect publication policies.
10. DIGITAL ARCHIVING AND PUBLICATION CONTINUITY
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) considers the long-term preservation, accessibility, and integrity of published scientific content to be an integral part of its publishing responsibility.
In this context, TVJ:
• Commits to securely archiving all articles published in the Journal in digital formats and ensuring their permanent accessibility.
• Implements technical and administrative measures to prevent the loss, alteration, or unauthorized removal of published content.
• Adopts archiving policies that ensure continued academic access to published articles even in the event that the Journal’s publication activities are discontinued for any reason.
• Conducts its digital archiving and publication continuity practices in accordance with internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.
11. SPECIAL ISSUES AND GUEST EDITORS
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) may publish special issues in order to support scientific diversity and emerging or current research areas. Special issues must fully comply with the Journal’s general ethical principles and publication policies.
The fundamental principles regarding special issues and guest editor practices are outlined below:
• Special issues are planned and conducted with the approval of the Editorial Board. Guest editors appointed for special issues are deemed to have formally accepted the Journal’s ethical principles and publication policies.
• Guest editors may manage the editorial process for the special issues for which they are responsible; however, final editorial decisions may be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or the Editorial Board when deemed necessary.
• Articles published in special issues are subject to the Journal’s standard peer review process and do not receive preferential or differential treatment in terms of scientific evaluation.
• Guest editors and authors contributing to special issues are required to disclose any relationships that may constitute a conflict of interest.
• All articles published within special issues are subject to the same ethical, scientific, and editorial responsibilities as those published in regular issues of the Turkish Veterinary Journal.
12. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) requires the clear disclosure of conflicts of interest in order to ensure transparency and credibility in scientific publishing. A conflict of interest is defined as any financial, institutional, academic, or personal relationship that may directly or indirectly influence the conduct, evaluation, or interpretation of a study.
The fundamental principles regarding conflicts of interest at TVJ are outlined below:
• Authors are required to clearly disclose any financial support, sponsorship, institutional affiliation, or personal relationship that may influence the submitted work. In cases where no conflicts of interest exist, this must be explicitly stated.
• Reviewers must promptly inform the editorial office if they have any conflicts of interest related to a manuscript they are assigned to evaluate and, when necessary, withdraw from the review process.
• Editors do not participate in the evaluation process of manuscripts in cases where their own academic, financial, or personal relationships may influence editorial decisions.
• The deliberate concealment of conflicts of interest is considered an ethical violation, and appropriate editorial actions may be taken when necessary.
TVJ handles all conflict of interest disclosures confidentially and ensures transparency in decision-making processes.
13. COMPLAINTS AND ETHICAL MISCONDUCT REPORTING MECHANISM
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) takes all reports of practices contrary to ethical principles seriously and commits to evaluating such reports in a fair, impartial, and confidential manner.
The fundamental principles governing complaints and ethical misconduct reporting at TVJ are outlined below:
• Allegations of ethical misconduct include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, concealment of conflicts of interest, and related practices.
• Complaints and reports of ethical misconduct must be submitted to the Journal’s editorial office in written form. All reports are handled confidentially, and the identity of the complainant is protected.
• Editors evaluate allegations of ethical misconduct in accordance with COPE guidelines and flowcharts and may request explanations from authors or contact relevant institutions when deemed necessary.
• In cases where ethical misconduct is confirmed, the Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) reserves the right to apply appropriate editorial sanctions, including rejection or retraction of the manuscript, restriction of future submissions by the involved authors for a defined period, and notification of relevant institutions when necessary.
• The deliberate submission of unfounded or malicious allegations is considered unethical and may result in appropriate action.
• Editorial decisions related to the manuscript may be suspended until the investigation process is completed. All decisions are made on the basis of scientific evidence and ethical principles and are provided with justified reasoning.
14. RESEARCH DATA, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCESS POLICY
The Turkish Veterinary Journal (TVJ) supports the verifiability, reproducibility, and transparency of scientific research. Accordingly, the Journal adopts the responsible and ethical management of research data as a fundamental publication principle.
The fundamental principles regarding research data at TVJ are outlined below:
• Authors declare that the data used in their studies are accurate, complete, and consistent with the research process. Data fabrication, concealment, or misleading presentation is considered a serious ethical violation.
• The Editorial Board may request raw data, analysis files, or related documentation from authors when deemed necessary. Authors agree to comply with such requests.
• Data sets containing personal data, commercial secrets, or sensitive information that may affect animal welfare may be subject to restricted access due to ethical and legal considerations.
• TVJ encourages the appropriate sharing of research data and supports scientific transparency; however, data sharing must be conducted in compliance with relevant ethical and legal obligations.
• Practices related to the storage and access of research data are carried out in accordance with internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.