Editorial Policies

Overview

The editorial policy of the AKSU Journal of Engineering and Technology (AKSUJET) outlines the principles, standards, and procedures governing the publication of manuscripts. These policies ensure transparency, fairness, and ethical conduct throughout the submission, review, and publication process. The journal aligns its operations with internationally recognized publishing standards and codes of ethics to uphold academic credibility and research integrity.

AKSUJET adheres to the guidelines of the following global organizations:

• COPE – Committee on Publication Ethics

• ICMJE – International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

• STM – International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers

• WAME – World Association of Medical Editors

Authorship Criteria

An author is defined as an individual who has made a significant intellectual contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research work. In accordance with ICMJE standards, authorship is based on the following four conditions:

1. Substantial Contribution: Participation in the study’s conception or design, or in data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.

2. Manuscript Preparation: Involvement in drafting or critically revising the manuscript for essential intellectual content.

3. Approval: Final approval of the version to be published.

4. Accountability: Agreement to take responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of all aspects of the work.

Only those meeting these criteria should be listed as authors. Others who contributed to the study but do not meet authorship criteria should be properly acknowledged.

Acknowledgement of Contributions

Individuals or institutions that supported the research through funding, materials, or technical assistance but did not meet the authorship requirements should be recognized in the acknowledgment section. Proper credit should also be given to organizations or agencies that provided grants or sponsorship.

Changes in Authorship

Requests for adding, removing, or rearranging authors after manuscript submission are subject to editorial approval and must comply with COPE standards. Only the corresponding author can submit such a request using the official Change in Authorship Form.

All authors must provide written consent to any change before it is implemented.

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

Authors must carefully review the Instructions for Authors available on the journal’s website before submission. Manuscripts should be prepared in strict accordance with AKSUJET’s formatting and ethical standards.

Each submission must include:

• Full contact details of all authors (names, affiliations, email addresses, phone numbers).

• A declaration of conflicts of interest.

• Confirmation that all listed authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Submissions can be made electronically through the online platform or directly via the designated editorial email.

Conflict of Interest Policy

A conflict of interest (COI) arises when personal, financial, or professional affiliations could potentially influence an individual’s objectivity in research, review, or editorial decision-making.

Authors are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest related to their manuscript. Reviewers and editors must also declare any conflict and, when necessary, recuse themselves from participating in the review or decision process.

All COI disclosures are handled confidentially and in accordance with WAME and ICMJE guidelines.

Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts are treated as strictly confidential documents. They are not disclosed to anyone outside the editorial and review process, which includes editorial staff, reviewers, and the corresponding author.

In exceptional cases, such as suspected misconduct, relevant information may be shared with ethics committees or affiliated institutions for proper investigation. The journal follows COPE flowcharts when addressing ethical concerns.

Peer Review Policy

AKSUJET employs a double-blind peer review system to ensure objectivity and impartiality. The identities of both authors and reviewers remain undisclosed throughout the review process.

Process Overview:

• Each manuscript is assigned to qualified reviewers, typically two or more.

• Reviewers evaluate the submission based on originality, technical quality, clarity, and relevance.

• Possible reviewer recommendations include:

• Accept without revision

• Minor revision required

• Moderate revision required

• Major revision required

• Reject or refer to another journal

All reviewer reports are anonymized before being shared with authors. Authors are expected to revise their manuscripts in response to reviewer comments and resubmit within the specified time frame.

The final decision—Accept, Reject, or Revision Required—rests solely with the Editor-in-Chief.

Accepted manuscripts are issued an Acceptance Certificate and moved to the publication queue.

Misconduct and Ethics Compliance

Research or publication misconduct—such as data fabrication, plagiarism, falsification, or violation of ethical standards—will not be tolerated. All suspected cases are investigated following COPE guidelines. Proven misconduct may lead to rejection, retraction, or blacklisting of the author(s) from future submissions.

Correction and Retraction Policy

Corrections to published articles are handled according to the degree of modification required:

• Minor Corrections: Incorporated directly into the original article.

• Major Corrections: Published as a separate document linked to the original article, explaining the reason for change.

• Retractions: Implemented in cases of serious ethical breaches or proven data manipulation, following COPE retraction protocols.