ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND POLICIES
Publication Ethics
The publication processes followed in Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sport Sciences aim at producing, developing and distributing scientific information in an impartial and respectable manner.
Peer-reviewed studies are studies that provide and support the concrete application of the scientific method and impartiality. It is important that all stakeholders of the process (publisher, editors, authors, referees and readers) comply with ethical principles in the realization of scientific production. In this context, all stakeholders of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sport Sciences must bear ethical responsibilities.
Guidelines and policies published as open access by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors when establishing ethical principles and responsibilities; “Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors” and “COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors”).
Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of the Publisher
Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sport Sciences is a non-profit public education institution that takes care of the public interest.
Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences was established in 2020, under the management of the editorial board or editorial board, to contribute to scientific development in the field of sports sciences with the administrative support of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Sports Sciences Executive Board.
Sivas Cumhuriyet University Sports Sciences Journal Editorial Board consists of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Sports Sciences Faculty Board of Directors. Field editors are determined by an editor as the head of the Editorial Board and, depending on the situation, one or more assistant editors. A new member is appointed in place of the resigned member. The term of the member whose term of office has expired may be extended.
Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of the Editorial Board

The Editorial Board of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences is responsible for every article submitted to Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences and the processes before and after its publication, and the Editorial Board knows this responsibility. This responsibility of the Editorial Board is only by considering the public interest in the decisions taken on the issues related to the journal; requires independent decision making without considering personal gain. All decisions to be made by the editors are taken independently of the publisher, other individuals and organizations. The relationship between the publisher and the Editorial Board is based on the principle of editorial independence.

• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences Editorial Board strives to increase the quality of publication and to continuously improve the journal.
• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences Editorial Board ensures the determination and implementation of journal policies (publication, blind refereeing and evaluation process, ethical principles, etc.).
• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Sports Sciences Journal Editorial Board protects the copyright of the article author(s) published in the journal.
• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences Editorial Board is responsible for taking precautions against scientific-unethical behaviors, plagiarism, citing gangs, without compromising intellectual property rights and ethical standards during the publication process of articles and journals.
• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences Editorial Board publishes an “Author's Guide” that covers every subject expected from them by the authors in detail. It prepares the "Referee's Guide" covering the information and guides that the referees will need during the evaluation phase and updates these guides at certain time intervals.
• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences Editorial Board determines policies that enable the referees to evaluate the work in an impartial, scientific and objective language, support the freedom of thought of the article author(s) and encourage them.
• Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sports Sciences Editorial Board keeps the records of each article and correspondence related to the journal electronically or in print.

Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of Editors, Assistant Editors and Field Editors

The editors and field editors of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sport Sciences should have the following ethical duties and responsibilities, based on the “COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors” and “COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors” published as open access:

• Editors strive to meet all the knowledge, skills and experience requirements of referees, author/authors, readers, researchers and practitioners (editing in the publication process, acting according to the principles of clarity in matters that require explanation, giving feedback when necessary).
• Editors take care that the published articles contribute to the readers, researchers, practitioners and literature of the relevant field, and that they are original.
• Editors consider the importance, original value, validity and reliability of the studies, clarity of expression, and the aims and objectives of the journal when making positive or negative decisions about the articles.
• As long as the article, which is suitable for publication, does not have a serious problem, the editors take it to the preliminary evaluation stage, consider the positive suggestions of the referees, new editors do not change the decisions made by the previous editor/editors unless there is a serious problem.
• Editors apply the "Blind Refereeing and Evaluation Process" policies in the publication policy of the journal, keep the identity information of the referees confidential in the context of blind refereeing, ensure that each article is evaluated impartially and within the stipulated time, preventing deviations that may occur in the defined processes.
• Editors determine the referees and field editors in accordance with the subject of the study, and support impartial and independent evaluations.
• Editors observe whether there is a conflict of interest and cooperation between the author/authors and the referees for the objective evaluation of the article.
• Editors take the necessary steps to dynamically update the referee pool and make it up to a wide range.
• Editors prevent rude and unscientific reviews.
• Editors evaluate referees with criteria such as return and performance.
• Editors ensure that the publication process of the journal is progressed in accordance with publication policies and guidelines, inform all editorial board members about publication policies and keep them informed of developments, train new editorial board members about publication policies, and provide the information they need.
• The editors communicate effectively with the members involved in the publication process and organize meetings at regular intervals.
• Editors ensure the protection of personal data in the reviewed articles; protects the individual data of authors, referees and readers.
• Editors pay attention to the protection of human and animal rights in articles, attach importance to documenting the explicit approval of the article; rejects the article without ethics committee approval for the participants of the article and permission for experimental research.
• Editors take precautions against misconduct. When there are complaints about misconduct, it conducts an objective investigation and shares the relevant findings with the relevant persons and institutions.
• Editors ensure that errors, inconsistencies or misdirections in articles are corrected.
• Editors protect the intellectual property rights of the published articles and defend the rights of the journal and the author(s) in case of violation. In addition, it takes the necessary measures to ensure that the content of the published articles does not violate the intellectual property rights of other publications; performs the authenticity-similarity check.
• Editors consider consistent criticism of articles published in the journal; provides descriptive and informative feedback and feedback to readers, researchers and practitioners. It also gives the right to reply to the author(s) of the criticized article.
• Editors also consider articles with negative results.
• The editors examine the complaints submitted to the journal and make the necessary explanations to the relevant persons and organizations.

Ethical Duties and Responsibilities of Referees

The article evaluation process of the Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sport Sciences is carried out with the principle of double-blind refereeing, in which the author/authors of the referees do not know the referees, the referees cannot communicate directly with the author/authors, evaluations and comments are transmitted through the journal management system. In this process, the referee notes specified on the article evaluation forms and full texts are sent to the author(s) through the editor. In this context, the referees who evaluate the articles submitted to Sivas Cumhuriyet University Journal of Sport Sciences are expected to have the following ethical responsibilities:

• Reviewers should agree to evaluate only articles related to their field of expertise.
• Referees should evaluate with impartiality and confidentiality.
• In accordance with the privacy policy, they should destroy the articles they have reviewed after the evaluation process. They should only use the final versions of the articles they have reviewed after they have been published.
• It should objectively evaluate only the content of the article. Gender, religious belief, nationality, political opinion and commercial concerns should not be allowed to affect the impartiality of the assessment.