The Journal of the Institute of Social Sciences of Siirt University implements a comprehensive peer-review process to maintain high academic standards and ensure the reliability and validity of published research. The detailed review procedures outlined below reflect the journal’s commitment to objective evaluation, responsibilities of reviewers and editors, process stages, and compliance with ethical standards.

Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under review by another journal. Each author must confirm that the manuscript is their own original work and suitable for submission to the journal.

• Plagiarism Screening: Once a manuscript passes the initial editorial review, it is screened for plagiarism using iThenticate, intihal.net, or similar software. A similarity index below 15% is expected. Regardless of the rate, proper citation and referencing are checked in all cases.

• Double-Blind Peer Review: The journal employs a double-blind peer review process. After initial evaluation by the editor for scope and relevance, suitable manuscripts are sent to at least two independent reviewers to assess scientific quality. A third reviewer may be consulted if needed.

• Fair Evaluation: Editors evaluate manuscripts regardless of authors’ ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, or political views, ensuring an objective and unbiased review process.

• Conflict of Interest: Editors must avoid any conflict of interest involving authors or reviewers. If a conflict arises, the involved party is excluded from the process.

• Final Decision: The editor holds final responsibility for the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript. Editorial decisions are made in accordance with the journal’s academic publishing policies.

• Editorial Impartiality: Editors do not handle manuscripts authored by themselves or their relatives. Such submissions are redirected to another editor and follow standard editorial procedures.

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all information related to the submitted manuscript as confidential until publication. If they identify any uncited references or sources, they must inform the editor immediately.

• Declining a Review: If a reviewer feels unqualified to assess the manuscript or cannot complete the review within the allotted time, they must inform the editor and decline the review.

• Evaluation Criteria: Reviewers assess the manuscript objectively based on content, methodology, validity of findings, consistency with existing literature, and language quality. The language used in reviews should be constructive and non-offensive.

• Points to Consider: Reviewers evaluate whether the manuscript offers new and significant insights, whether the methods are clear and sound, whether results support the conclusions, and whether the relevant literature is adequately cited.

Review Process
Peer Review Type – Double-Blind:
After plagiarism screening, manuscripts deemed suitable are evaluated by the editor for originality, methodology, significance of the topic, and relevance to the journal's scope. Manuscripts that pass this stage are forwarded to at least two independent reviewers from Turkey and/or abroad.
Section Editorship and Final Scientific Evaluation:
Following the completion of the peer review process, the assigned section editor re-evaluates the manuscript in terms of scientific content, ethical compliance, and adherence to the journal’s writing guidelines, taking into account the reviewers' comments. Based on this assessment, the final decision for publication is made with editorial approval. The section editor’s final evaluation is documented in written form and archived.
Interaction Between Reviewer and Author:
Editors mediate all communication between reviewers and authors. Reviewers provide feedback and revision suggestions to the authors, and revised versions are sent back to the reviewers for re-evaluation.
Review Duration and Time to First Decision:
The peer review process is typically completed within 20 days, and the first decision is issued within this period.
Plagiarism Check:
All submitted manuscripts are screened using iThenticate or similar software to ensure compliance with scientific and ethical standards.
Number of Reviewers and Timeline:
Each manuscript is assigned to two or three reviewers. The standard review period is 20 days, but may be extended by an additional 10 days upon reviewers’ request.
Conditions for Article Acceptance:
A manuscript may be accepted for publication only if at least two reviewers provide positive evaluations. If one of the two reviewers recommends rejection, a third reviewer is appointed. After the peer review process is complete, the final approval of the section editor is also required.
Suspected Ethical Violations:
If reviewers suspect any research or publication misconduct, they must immediately notify the editor. The editor will investigate such concerns in accordance with COPE guidelines.
Publication Process and Editorial Workflow
All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of the Institute of Social Sciences, Siirt University undergo initial evaluation by the editor-in-chief and editors. Submissions deemed suitable for publication are assigned to the relevant section editors. Section editors evaluate the manuscript's contribution to the field, scientific originality, and ethical compliance.
For manuscripts written primarily in English, the English Language and Literature section editor or a designated English language editor assumes the role of a reviewer after the peer review process, evaluating the manuscript in terms of academic language proficiency, clarity of expression, and conformity to stylistic conventions. This evaluation is completed using a standardized form and archived as part of the editorial documentation.
Throughout the editorial process, editors are responsible for:
• Providing authors with timely and informative updates,
• Delivering reviewer reports promptly and coordinating the re-evaluation of revised submissions,
• Ensuring transparency and integrity at every stage of the publication process in accordance with the journal’s editorial policy.