Publishing Ethics

SDU Journal of Media Studies adheres to the highest ethical standards in research and publication. The journal follows the Research Ethics and Research Committee Regulations of SDU University, aiming to uphold general principles guiding ethical research practices. Researchers must familiarize themselves with these policies and ensure ethical compliance in their work.

Research involving human participants must be conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report, which provides guidelines for the protection of research subjects’ rights. During publication, authors and other contributors must adhere to the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The editorial board of SDU Journal of Media Studies makes acceptance or rejection decisions solely based on the intellectual content of submitted manuscripts. Editors have the right to reject articles that violate legal standards related to defamation, copyright infringement, or plagiarism. Additionally, they are required to maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts before publication.

Publishing peer-reviewed articles reflects the quality of the authors’ work and the institutions that support them. It is essential that all participants in the publication process – authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers – adhere to ethical standards.

SDU Journal of Media Studies welcomes significant and original research in the field of journalism, media, and communications studies. Submitted manuscripts must not have been previously published or be under review by another journal. The journal only accepts articles written in Kazakh, English, or Russian.

If the research involves human or animal subjects, authors must obtain ethical approvals required by their respective institutions and submit the relevant documents along with their manuscript. If necessary, the editorial board and reviewers may verify the authenticity of the ethical approvals provided by the authors.

Author responsibilities                                                                                                                                                                      Authors must accurately describe their work and provide a fair analysis of its significance. important data must be clearly presented in the manuscript. The document should contain sufficient information and references to allow replication of the research. False or intentionally misleading statements are considered unethical and will not be accepted.

Originality and Plagiarism                                                                                                                                                                    SDU Journal of Media Studies places great importance on academic integrity and ethical standards. Authors must ensure the originality of their work and properly cite the work or words of others. All forms of plagiarism are strictly prohibited, including copying or paraphrasing another person’s work without proper acknowledgment or presenting someone else’s research findings as their own.

To uphold commitments to originality and integrity, the journal utilizes Turnitin. This tool strengthens the journal’s dedication to maintaining high academic standards. All submitted articles are checked for plagiarism through Turnitin and 80% originality is strictly required. This process aims to detect and prevent both accidental and intentional plagiarism, fostering a scholarly environment based on authentic and credible research.

Repitition, Multiplem or Parallel Publications                                                                                                                                    Authors are not permitted to publish articles describing the same study in more than one journal or other publication. Submitting the same article to multiple journals simultaneously is considered unethical.

Verification of Sources in Research                                                                                                                                                      Authors are required to appropriately acknowledge the contributions of other researchers. They must cite sources that have significantly influenced the development of their research. Any information obtained through personal communications, such as conversations or correspondence, should not be used or shared without the explicit written consent of the original source author. Similarly, confidential information obtained from activities such as manuscript or grant application reviews must not be used without the author's explicit written permission.

Article Authorship                                                                                                                                                                                        Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or analysis of the research being conducted. All individuals who have made significant contributions must be listed as co-authors. Those who have contributed to key aspects of the research project should be acknowledged or listed as participants. The author must ensure that all co-authors, and no unrelated individuals, are included in the manuscript. The final version of the manuscript must be reviewed and approved by all co-authors before submission for publication.

Risks to Research Subjects: Humans or Animals                                                                                                                                  If hazardous chemicals, specific procedures, or equipment are used in the research, the author must clearly indicate these risks in the manuscript. If the study involves animals or human participants, the manuscript must include a statement confirming that all procedures were conducted in compliance with applicable laws and institutional regulations and that approval was obtained from the appropriate institutional committees. Additionally, authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained for experiments involving human participants. The confidentiality of individuals must always be maintained.

Disclosure of Information and Conflicts of Interest                                                                                                                            Authors must disclose any financial or other significant conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their research in their manuscript. They must also provide information about all sources of financial support for the project.

Correction of Significant Errors in Published Research                                                                                                                    If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate to retract or correct the article. If a third party informs the editor of a significant error in a published work, the author must promptly correct or retract the article as necessary or provide evidence confirming the accuracy of the original work.

Editorial Principles                                                                                                                                                                                  Fair Evaluation.  Editors must assess manuscripts solely based on their intellectual merit, without considering the author’s race, gender, religious beliefs, ethnicity, nationality, or political views.                                                                                      Confidentiality.  Editors and the editorial team must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Information about a manuscript can only be shared with the author, reviewers, other editorial advisors, and, if necessary, the publisher.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Transparency and Conflict of Interest.  Editors must not use unpublished data from a manuscript for their own research without the author’s written consent. Any confidential information or ideas obtained through peer review must remain confidential and must not be used for personal gain. Editors should withdraw from handling manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the manuscript and request that a co-editor, associate editor, or another board member take over. In such cases, the manuscript should be reassigned to the managing editor or another editorial board member. Editors should ensure that authors disclose any potential conflicts of interest, and if such conflicts are discovered after publication, appropriate corrections should be made. If necessary, retractions or other corrective actions should be taken.

This section is based on materials provided by Elsevier (https://www.elsevier.com/) and COPE (https://publicationethics.org/).

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools                                                                                                                              SDU Journal of Media Studies editorial board does not support the use of generative AI programs for writing sections of manuscripts. Authors using generative AI tools are encouraged to follow the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).                                                                                                                                                                                        According to COPE guidelines, if authors use AI tools for writing, generating images or graphics, or collecting and analyzing data, they must disclose how AI was used and specify which tools were employed in the methodology section of the manuscript. Authors bear full responsibility for the content of the manuscript, including AI-generated sections. Additionally, AI and AI-assisted technologies should not be listed as authors, as authorship entails responsibilities and obligations that apply only to humans.                                                                                                                                                      A statement regarding the use of AI tools must be included when the manuscript is first submitted. This statement should be provided when uploading the manuscript to the journal’s online system. However, such disclosure is not required for basic tools used for grammar, spelling, or reference checks. If AI tools were not used, no statement is necessary.