Ethical Principles
Download PDF version: Ethical Principles
Download PDF version: Copyright Agreement and Acknowledment of Authorship Form
Open Access Policy
All issues and related content of JISS can be accessed free of charge on the internet in accordance with the policies of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). Users are allowed to read, download, copy, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author for non-commercial purposes. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access. The open access articles in the journal are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is a person’s use of the expression(s), finding(s) or thought(s) of other persons as if they were their own without proper references. All types of plagiarism, including an author’s use of their own work without reference, are a serious ethical problem. All submissions to the journal are subjected to a program (Turnitin and/or iThenticate) to prevent plagiarism. If cases of plagiarism, unauthorized use of third-party copyright, insufficient reference, or problematic authorship are determined, legal means such as a) publication of an erratum or corrigendum, b) retracting the publication, c) communicating the issue to the author’s institution, may be used.
The articles sent to be published are expected to comply with the spelling, punctuational and general rules of the language they’re written in, as well as the spelling rules of the journal. The articles sent to the journal are first analyzed and approved by the editor and the editorial board, within the framework of the relevant criteria, and then scanned for “plagiarism” by means of some softwares such as the iThenticate which is currently being used. In consequence of the scanning of the main text in the article, the rate of similiarity to another texts without references shall not exceed 15%, with the exclusion of the bibliography and the references. It could be asked the writer to improve the situation for the ratios between 15% and 20%. However, the article is rejected in case of similarities over 20% without references. In case of the similarity rate is more than 30%, even though references are shown, the article can be rejected by evaluating that the study is weak in terms of "originality" and "contribution to the field".
The author(s) agree and undertake that,
a) the article submitted to the journal is an original work,
b) the corresponding authors have individually participated in this study and take full responsibility of it,
c) all authors have seen and approved the final version of the submitted manuscript,
d) the article has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere before,
e) the text, figures and documents in the article do not infringe the copyrights of third parties,
f) during the on-going review process, which begins right after the evaluation of the editorial board, cannot withdraw the article arbitrarily.
The Author(s) hereby grant the Publisher permission to publish this intellectual work under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. (The CC BYNC-ND 4.0 license permits sharing, copying, reproduction, and adaptation of the work in any size and format except for commercial use. However, it does not authorize new versions of the work including remixing, transforming, and building upon the work, nor the sharing thereof.)
Patent and intellectual property rights, including copyright of the author(s) or the author(s)’s employer, if any, are reserved.
The author(s) have the right to reproduce, copy and redistribute the article in any media and in any format, including postal and electronic means. Commercial rights arising from the article belong to the author(s). The use of any part of the article in another publication is permitted only if the Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies (JISS) is addressed as the publisher and the Journal is cited.
The Journal is a double-blind, peer-reviewed publication published twice a year in May and November, available in print and online. The journal’s languages are Turkish and English.
Language
The Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies (JISS) accepts articles in Turkish and English.
Instructions for Authors
Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies (JISS) Scope
The Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies of Uskudar University is focused on the thought, history and literature of Sufism, including research and articles about the philosophical, social, cultural, anthropological, and artistic aspects of these topics.
Purpose
The Journal aims to contribute to the academic field of Islamic Studies through a focus on Sufi Studies, while also bringing forward Ottoman Sufi thought and Sufi perspectives on Islamic civilization. At the same time, through an interdisciplinary approach, the Journal aims to expand the accepted bounds of disciplines by providing the opportunity for the various fields to work together when thinking of the myriad topics related to Islamic and Sufi Studies.
Submission Types
The work that is sent to the Journal must be no more than 8000 words, excluding the references (bibliography) section. The work that is sent is first evaluated based on its adherence to the publication rules by the journal secretariat. It is then evaluated by the Editorial Board in terms of its purpose, topic, content, presentation and writing style. All submitted work is expected to fit the basic criteria listed below:
a) An original work that has not been done before
b) Prepared using current methods
c) Contributing to its field by presenting new concepts and methods
d) Advanced scientific competence
e) Clearly expresses the methodological foundation on which it is built
f) Allows for different perspectives and thoughts
g) Productive enough to open the path for further work on its field and topic
1. Research Paper
This is the most common article type where data obtained from an original study is presented in a detailed manner. It is composed of sections such as hypothesis, method, result, data analysis and discussion. It is preferred that the work be not less than 5000 words. The article is evaluated through a blind review process.
2. Compilation and Literature Review Articles
These are articles written by way of reading, evaluating, and commenting through comparative analysis on findings presented in a sufficient number of scientific studies already done. It is recommended that the work be no longer than 5000 words. The article is evaluated through a blind review process.
3. Conference & Symposium Proceedings
These are works prepared for the purpose of presenting specific academic topics in its myriad dimensions at national or international academic meetings arranged to bring together experts of the field. In particular, translations into Turkish of these proceedings will be included. It is recommended that the work be no longer than 4000 works. Submissions in this category are evaluated by the Editorial Board.
4. Book Reviews
Book reviews introduce works such as a compilation, a monograph, scientific meeting, or article, and then engage in constructive criticism of the topic at hand as well as the work in which it is presented. It is recommended that the work be no longer than 1500 words. Submissions in this category are evaluated by the Editorial Board.
5. Other Original or Compilation Articles/Writings
Original or compilation articles that have not been published elsewhere may be published in the Journal following an evaluation by the Editorial Board without being sent for blind review. Essays by experts of the field, specific topics, and writings on the areas of interest and academic activities of the Institute for Sufi Studies may be considered within this category.
Editorial Policies
1. Blind Review
The Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies (JISS) is a double-blind peer reviewed research journal and academic publication.
2. Authorship
An article’s writer or writers are referred to as “author”. In articles with more than one article, one author will be nominated as the one responsible for ordering the authors and other matters. In articles based on masters’ and doctorate theses, the author of the thesis is qualified as the first author, and the thesis advisor is the second author. If there are any persons or institutions that have provided technical or monetary help or support in data accumulation, they should be mentioned in the last part of the work. Authors must mention all conflicts of interest with regards to the work they provide to the journal.
3. Evaluation of Submissions
Submissions are evaluated by the Editorial Board. The pre-assessment of the work submitted to the journal is finalized within 7 days. As a result of this initial assessment, in case of necessity, the author is given an additional 15 days to complete any corrections requested. Works that are found to be in line with publication criteria are evaluated based on their category of publication. Research articles and compilation/literature review articles are subject to the blind peer review process. The work is sent to two experts of the relevant field. In case of no differences in the opinions of the reviewers, the author is given 21 days to complete any changes/corrections requested by the reviewers. In case there is a difference in the opinions of the reviewers, a third reviewer will be consulted. Any additional time requests from reviewers will also be taken into account.
The author/s must engage with any and all correction, recommendation and critique offered by the reviewers and the editor. In case of disagreements, the author must provide a written explanation with justifications provided.
Publication Policies
1. Publication Ethics
It is expected that all parties involved in the publication of the journal, including the writers, editors and reviewers, will behave according to rules of publication ethics. In order to ensure compliance with ethical standards, Uskudar University adheres to the international ethics set out by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) in all processes. For the ethical values mentioned: https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/principlestransparency-and-best-practice-scholarly-publishing
The submission period begins with the work being sent to the Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies(JISS) for publication. The Journal’s authorized body reserves the right to make changes to the text of the work and to publish or not publish the work.
Author
Authorship: Authors must have made a demonstrable contribution to the thought, design and interpretation of the work submitted. In cases of contribution in other manners, this contribution should be clearly explained. In works with multiple authors, the designated author must affirm with the work’s other authors that they approve the final version of the work and that it has been sent to the journal for publication.
Originality: Authors must send original works that have not been previously published. Sources and references used in the work must be clearly and completely indicated. The author is fully responsible for ensuring this.
Copyright and Conflict of Interest: Authors must indicate the financial support they have benefited from and any other potential conflict interest. All sources of financial support must be clearly indicated. Authors must not submit the same work for publication in multiple journals.
Participation in the blind peer review and editorial process: Authors are expected to cooperate with the editorial board during the blind-review and editorial processes. Where necessary, authors will need to incorporate the changes requested to their work in a timely manner and also approve the final version of the work prior to its publication. In order to ensure anonymity, the author must not include any information that might disclose their identity in the body of the work.
Honesty: Authors must ensure accuracy throughout the entirety of their work. It is expected for any mistakes that were initially missed to be corrected. These corrections are published separately and a note is made on the original work that corrections have been done. For more serious problems and misappropriation (such as plagiarism), the original work will be removed.
Reviewer
Competence: Reviewers must be experts in their respective fields. They must have attained at least a PhD degree or have a senior academic title. They are expected to have prior publications in the field of review. The reviewer that has been chosen who feels that they cannot do justice to the task or that they will not be able to complete it in a timely manner should inform the editor and withdraw from the review.
Copyright and Conflict of Interest: In cases of potential conflicts of interest, the reviewers must inform the Editorial Board. Reviewers should not have engaged in partnered work with authors applying to the journal in the previous five years.
Contributions to Editorial Evaluations: Reviewers support the Editorial Board and contribute to the author improving their work. The reviewer’s responsibility in this matter is to determine the originality and importance of the work in its field and any relevant references that the author may have missed
Principles of Objectivity: The review process should be carried out in a respectful and objective manner. There is no allowance for a personal critique of the author. Reviewers must explain their comments with justifications.
Confidentiality: The work that is sent to the reviewer is regarded as being confidential. It is strictly forbidden for the work to be shared with any person or institutions that has not been authorized by the Editorial Board.
Editorial Board
Editor in Chief (Administrative Editor): Responsible for all journal activities.
Managing Editor: The Journal has one managing editor, one editor and one assistant editor. All publication processes are carried out by editors.
The editors are responsible for evaluating the works that are submitted to the journal twice a year. The editorial board ensures compliance with principles such as blind review and evaluation processes as well as ethical principles while also carrying out publication policies. By also encouraging academic integrity, it regulates any potential plagiarism situations prior to the publication stage. The editorial board is the journal’s publication board; it is the reviewer’s decision that is taken into account when considering the publication of research articles and compilation/literature review articles whose double-blind peer review process have been completed. The Editorial Board evaluates and decides the submissions in the other categories that are not subject to the double-blind peer review process.
Determining Misconduct: the Editorial Board is responsible for evaluating allegations of plagiarism and misuse before, during, or after publication. The Editorial Board will not ignore any case of misuse, does not encourage it, nor knowingly allow it. If a case of misuse is found during the submission or publication period, the author is informed and the work is retracted. If only small mistakes are found, the corrections will be made in the online journal, while the correct print version will be published in the next volume.
Participation in auditing: Editors are responsible for evaluating and taking the necessary steps for ethical concerns/complaints brought against any submitted or published works.
Confidentiality: The Editorial Board does not share the information of a submitted work with third persons except for the author of the work, the reviewers, potential reviewers, the editorial board, editorial consultants and publishers.
Copyright and Conflict of Interest: Material that is used in a submitted work that has not yet been published may not be used in the personal work of an editor without the express written permission of the author. Privileged information or ideas received as part of the blind peer review process must remain confidential and must not be used for personal gain.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board: formed from experts in their respective fields. In cases of need, the Editorial Board may request academic consultation from Advisory Board members during the publication process. Advisory Board members will help with the matter at hand in accordance with their expertise.
Statement on the Use of Generative AI
1. Scope and Purpose
This statement outlines the ethical use, disclosure, and oversight of Generative AI (GenAI) in the submission, peer review, and editorial processes of the Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies. It aligns with the principles and best practices established by leading organizations in academic publishing, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
2. Definition
Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence technologies capable of producing text, images, or other content in response to user inputs. Tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and similar models fall under this category.
3. Principles and Standards
3.1. Ethical Use (COPE Guidelines)
Authors, reviewers, and editors must adhere to. GenAI may assist in minor aspects of the publishing process (e.g., language editing) but must not replace human intellectual contributions or create fabricated content.
3.2. Transparency
Authors are required to disclose the use of GenAI in their manuscripts. Disclosure must explicitly state which tools were used and for what purposes.
3.3. Authorship and Accountability
GenAI tools cannot be credited as authors, as they do not meet authorship criteria: substantial intellectual contribution, drafting or revising the work, and accountability for content. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and ethical compliance of their submissions, even if AI tools were used.
3.4. Peer Review Integrity
Peer reviewers using GenAI tools must disclose such use to the editorial board; AI tools may provide suggestions or summaries but cannot replace critical analysis or professional judgment required for peer review.
4. Acceptable Uses of Generative AI
Language Refinement: Authors may use GenAI for grammar correction, syntax improvements, or stylistic edits; Data Representation: AI-generated charts or images are acceptable if the data source is clearly cited and visualizations are verified; Idea Generation: AI tools can assist in brainstorming or exploring research frameworks but should not contribute original hypotheses or conclusions.
5. Prohibited Uses of Generative AI
Fabrication or Manipulation: AI must not be used to generate false data, references, or conclusions. Plagiarism: Using AI-generated content without proper attribution is a violation of ethical publishing standards. Misrepresentation: Authors must not misrepresent AI-generated work as their own intellectual contribution.
6. Disclosure Requirements
All authors must provide a clear disclosure statement regarding the use of GenAI if they used it in writing the paper. The statement should include the name(s) of the tool(s) used; specific tasks where the tool was applied (e.g., language editing, visualization).
Example Disclosure Statement: "Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, were used for language editing and improving the clarity of the manuscript. All intellectual content, research design, and data analysis were conducted solely by the authors."
7. Editorial Oversight
Editors will evaluate disclosed AI use during the review process to ensure it complies with this policy. Manuscripts suspected of undisclosed AI-generated content may undergo further scrutiny, including plagiarism detection tools or re-submission requests.
8. Consequences of Misuse
In alignment with COPE’s misconduct policies, violations of this policy may result in: Rejection of the manuscript; Retraction of published articles if ethical breaches are discovered post-publication; Notification to institutions, funders, or other stakeholders, where appropriate.
In case a reader discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in a paper published in the Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies (JISS) or have any other complaint about editorial content (plagiarism, duplicate papers, etc.), he/she should make a complaint by e-mail to: taed@uskudar.edu.tr. We welcome complaints as they provide an opportunity for improvement, and we aim to respond quickly and constructively.