Ihlara Journal Educational Research

Ihlara Journal of Educational Research aims to publish original scientific studies produced at national and international levels and contribute to the education field. The journal aims to create an international platform where academicians, teachers and graduate students in the field of education and sub-fields of education can come together, both among themselves and with policymakers and other stakeholders of education, to discuss the innovations that need to be made to provide a better education opportunity for future generations. 

Ihlara Journal of Educational Research, operating within the Faculty of Education at Aksaray University, is an international, peer-reviewed journal published twice a year. Our journal includes quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research articles on all fields of education, review studies, and book analyses.

• General Information

Articles should be uploaded to the system in MS Word file.
All texts in the article should be in Times New Roman font.
The article should be maximum 8000 words excluding references.
Articles should be prepared in accordance with the IHEAD Article Template.

• Article Title

The Turkish and English title of the article should be written in 12 pt, centered and bold. Maximum 14 words should be used excluding conjunctions. In the title, only the first letter of each word, except conjunctions, should be capitalized, and conjunctions should be written in lower case. (Makale Başlığı/Article Title Style should be selected in the template)

• Author Information

Author names and any information about the authors should not be written in the articles uploaded to the author system. Author information will be added during the editing process. (Yazarlar/Authors Style should be selected in the template)

• Abstract

At the beginning of the article, there should be a short abstract in Turkish and English to inform the reader about the study. Abstracts should be justified and written in 9-pt font. The word count in abstracts should be in the range of 150-200 words. 3-5 keywords should be given under the abstracts. Keywords should be separated by semicolons. References, table, or figure numbers, etc. should not be used in abstracts. Manuscript submission, acceptance and publication dates will be added later. These sections will be initially left blank as in the template. (Özet/Abstract Style should be selected in the template)

Suggested structure for an article:

Introduction, Methodology, Findings, Discussion, Conclusion, Recommendations, References, Attachments (if any), Extended Abstract

It is recommended to be in the form. The author(s) may add additional sections according to the content of the study.

• Article text

The texts/paragraphs in the article should be written in 10 pt font size, justified and single-spaced. (Metin/Text style will be selected for texts/paragraphs)

• Headlines

First level headings should be used in chapter titles. Main section headings should be bold, centered and in 11-point font size, capitalizing the first letter of each word except conjunctions. (1. Başlık/Title Style should be selected in the template)

Second-level headings should be used for primary subheadings. Primary subheadings should be bold, left-justified, 11-point font size, with the first letter of each word capitalized, except for conjunctions. (2. Başlık/Title Style should be selected in the template)

Secondary subheadings should use a third-level heading. Secondary subheadings should be written in bold, left justified and 10-point font size, capitalizing only the first letter of the first word of the title. (3. Başlık/Title Style should be selected in the template)

If you have a fourth level subheading, write it in bold, at the beginning of the paragraph, in 10 pt, left justified and italicized, and continue with a period at the end. Do not use more than four heading levels.

• Tables

Vertical lines should not be used in tables. Horizontal lines should be used under and above the column headings and at the bottom of the table. Tables should be double justified. The text in the table should be written in 9-pt font size, justified, or left justified and single-spaced. Each table should have a table number and table title. Table number and title should be written at the top of the table. Table number and title should be written in 10-pt font size, justified, and single-spaced. In the table title, the number should be bold, and the title should be italicized. Make sure that the table numbers are sequential and cited in the text. (Tablo Başlık style will be selected for the table title and Tablo Metin style will be selected for the text in the table)

Example:

Table 1. Write the title of the table in sentence format with the first letter of the first word capitalized and all letters of the other words lowercase and put a period at the end.

• Figures

Figures should be placed in the center of the page. There should be a number and title for each figure/image. The figure number and title should be written at the bottom of the image. Figure number and title should be written in 10-pt font size, centered, and single-spaced. The relevant figure should be cited in the text and explained if possible (Şekil Başlık style will be selected for the figure title).

Example:

Figure 1. Write the title of the figure in sentence format with the first letter of the first word capitalized and the letters of the other words lowercase and put a period at the end.


• References

References should be prepared in accordance with APA 7 standards. Each reference should be written in 10-pt font size, justified, single-spaced and the first line should be 1 cm hanging. APA 7 spelling standards should be followed in the writing of in-text citations, tables, figures, and references. Make sure that each reference in the references is cited at least once in the text and that the reference of any citation given in the text is shown in the references. (Kaynak style will be selected for references)


Some basic examples in reference writing:
Book
Berk, L. E. (2022). Infants, children, and adolescents. SAGE Publications.

Book Chapter
Burnard, P., & Power, A. (2013). Issues in conceptions of creativity and creativity assessment in music education. In K. Thomas, & J. Chan (Eds.), Handbook of research in creativity (pp. 158–172). Edward Elgar.

Article
Deutsch, D. (2016). Authentic assessment in music composition: Feedback that facilitates creativity. Music Educators Journal, 102(3), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432115621608

• Appendix

Authors may submit an appendix after the references if needed. If more than one appendix is submitted, the appendices should be numbered. The appendices should be cited within the article.

• Extended Abstract

An extended English abstract should be included at the end of the article. In this abstract, critical information about the article should be presented. The titles Purpose, Method, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and Suggestions can be used as a framework. The extended abstract should be at least 700 and at most 1000 words. The text should be typed in 10-point font size, justified, and single-spaced. Extended Abstract section is not required for articles written in English.

• Other Information

1. Use a FULL STOP to separate the ones digit from the tenths digit in decimal notation (e.g., 107.8; 0.25).
2. Write the numbers specified in decimal notation with a maximum of three digits after the comma (rounding the longer ones to the thousandths digit).
3. The width of the tables should be arranged so that they are justified on both sides of the page.
4. DOI numbers of the references should be included as much as possible.
5. References that are not cited in the article should not be added to the "References" section.


• Article Template

Not all article writing rules may be covered in this article. For this reason, an article template has been created that you can use in your article manuscript. We kindly ask you to use this template when submitting an article to our journal. If the writing process is done in another file, you can upload your article to the system after transferring it to this template. If the information in the template conflicts with the information given in the writing rules, please follow the structure in the template. A writing style is defined for each section in your article. The table below indicates which style to use in which section. We kindly ask you to select the relevant writing style when writing on the IHEAD article template or after copying a text into the template.

Styles to be used in text formatting:

Content                                                                                                                                                                     Style
Text/Paragraphs                                                                                                                   Metin/Text
Level 1 Headings (Introduction, Method, etc.)                                                                1. Başlık/Title
Level 2 Headings                                                                                                                  2. Başlık/Title
Level 3 Headings                                                                                                                  3. Başlık/Title
Article Title                                                                                                                             Makale Başlık
Turkish/English Abstract, Keywords, Article information                                            Özet/Abstract
Article, Figure, Table footnotes                                                                                         Dipnot
Reference                                                                                                                              Kaynak
Figure headings                                                                                                                   Şekil Başlık
Table headings                                                                                                                    Tablo Başlık
Texts in the table                                                                                                                 Tablo Metin
Itemized contents                                                                                                               Madde/Liste

After typing/pasting the full text of your article into the IHEAD article template, check that the fonts match the styles in the template.

Ethical Principles and Publishing Policy

1. Original works need to be submitted to the journal.
2. Submitted articles need not have been published elsewhere or submitted to a different journal for publication.
3. When uploading articles to the system, author names, addresses, and all information identifying the authors must be deleted.
4. The author(s) must correctly cite the sources used in the article's writing by following ethical principles.
5. The names of people who don’t contribute to the article need not be written as authors, and the author order of an article applied for publication shouldn’t be changed, authors should not be removed, and authors shouldn’t be added.

Within the scope of ethical rules, the studies for which Ethics Committee Permission are requested to be evaluated in our journal are presented below:

1. Any research conducted with qualitative, quantitative or mixed approaches that requires data collection from participants using survey, interview, focus group, observation, experiment and interview techniques,
2. Research using humans and animals, including materials and data, for experimental or other scientific purposes,
3. Clinical research conducted on humans,
4. Research conducted on animals,
5. Retrospective studies under the personal data protection law

In this context, the following points must be considered in the studies submitted to our journal:

• It needs to be mentioned in case presentations that an "Informed Consent Form" has been acquired.
• If other people's scales, questionnaires, or images are utilized, it needs to be indicated that permission was sought from the proprietors.
• It needs to be emphasized that the intellectual and artistic works used are protected by copyright.

Publication Ethics

The ethical duties and responsibilities outlined below have been formulated concerning the guidelines and policies published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), considering open access principles.

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

The author(s) who submit a manuscript to the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research are expected to adhere to the ethical responsibilities outlined below:

-The publication processes applied in the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research are the basis for developing and disseminating knowledge in an impartial and reputable manner. In this regard, the implemented processes reflect the quality of authors' work and the institutions supporting them. Peer-reviewed studies are endeavours that concretize and uphold the scientific method. At this juncture, all stakeholders of the processes (authors, readers, researchers, publishers, referees, and editors) must adhere to ethical principles and standards. Within the scope of Ihlara Journal of Educational Research publication ethics, all stakeholders are expected to carry the following ethical responsibilities:

-The studies submitted by the author(s) are expected to be original. For this reason, a similarity rate report is requested for all studies submitted to our journal. The author(s) must provide complete and accurate citations and/or quotations when utilizing or referencing other works in their submissions.
-Individuals who have not made intellectual contributions to the manuscript's creation should not be listed as authors.
-All submissions intended for publication must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and relationships, if any, that could constitute a conflict of interest. If applicable, the financial support sources of the study need to be specified along with grant/fund numbers and other reference numbers.
-Authors may be requested to provide raw data related to their articles during evaluation. In such a case, authors must be prepared to submit the required data and information to the editorial and scientific boards.
-The author(s) must have a document showing that they have the rights to use the data used, the necessary permissions related to the research/analyses, or that the consent of the experimental subjects has been obtained.
-If the author(s) becomes aware of an inaccuracy or error in their published, early view or under review manuscript, they have an obligation to notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor in correcting or withdrawing the manuscript.
-Authors cannot submit their work to more than one journal at the same time. Each submission can be initiated following the completion of the previous submission. The study published in another journal cannot be submitted to the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research.
-Authors are responsible for making the corrections suggested by the editorial board on time. Manuscripts returned due to untimely revisions cannot be re-evaluated.
-In studies derived from the thesis, the author and the thesis advisor must be included as authors. Although it is not compulsory, the second advisor, if any, may also be included as an author. Apart from these, different authors can be included only if their contributions are explained.

Ethical Tasks and Responsibilities of Editors

The editors and field editors of Ihlara Journal of Educational Research must 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 by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) as open access:

a) General tasks and responsibilities:

The editors are responsible for every publication in the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research. Within the scope of this responsibility, the editors have the following roles and obligations:

-Strive to meet the information needs of readers and writers,
-Ensuring the continuous development of the journal,
-Conducting the processes to improve the quality of studies published in the journal,
-Supporting freedom of expression,
-Ensuring academic integrity,
-Maintaining task/duty processes without compromising intellectual property rights and ethical standards,
-Demonstrating openness and transparency in terms of publication in matters requiring correction and clarification,

b) Relations with the reader

Editors must decide by considering the expectations of knowledge, skills and experience needed by all readers, researchers, and practitioners. They need to pay attention to the contribution of the published studies to the readers, researchers, practitioners, and scientific literature and that they are original. In addition, editors must consider the feedback from readers, researchers, and practitioners and provide explanatory and informative feedback.

c) Relations with authors

The tasks and responsibilities of the editors towards the authors are as follows:

-Editors need to make positive or negative decisions based on the significance, originality, validity, clarity of expression, and alignment with the journal's aims and objectives.
-Manuscripts that align with the publication's scope should be subjected to the initial review stage unless they exhibit significant issues.
-Editors should only consider positive peer review recommendations if a significant issue is related to the manuscript.
-New editors should only alter decisions made by previous editors regarding manuscripts if there is a significant issue.
-The "Blind Peer Review and Evaluation Process" must be disclosed and published, and editors should take measures to prevent deviations from the defined processes.
-Authors need to receive clear and informative notifications and feedback.

d) Relations with reviewers:

The tasks and responsibilities of the editors towards the referees are as follows:

-The selection of referees should be in accordance with the subject matter of the study.
-Editors must provide referees with the information and guidance they may need during the evaluation stage.
-Editors must be vigilant regarding conflicts of interest among authors and referees.
-In peer review, referees need to keep their identities confidential.
-Editors need to encourage referees to evaluate the manuscript impartially, scientifically, and objectively.
-Editors need to establish practices and policies that enhance the performance of reviewers.
-Necessary steps need to be taken to update the pool of reviewers dynamically.
-Editors must refrain from discourteous and unscientific evaluations.
-Efforts must be made to ensure that the pool of referees comprises a broad spectrum.

e) Relations with the editorial board:

Editors need to ensure that all members of the editorial board progress following the publication policies and guidelines. Editorial board members must be informed about and kept abreast of publication policies. Additionally, editors:

-Editors should ensure that editorial board members evaluate manuscripts unbiased and independently.
-New editorial board members should be selected based on their potential contributions and appropriate qualifications.
-Editors should refer manuscripts to editorial board members within their areas of expertise for evaluation.
-Regular interaction with the editorial board is essential.
-Editors should organize meetings at specified intervals to discuss publication policies and the development of the journal.

f) Relations with the journal owner and publisher:

The relationship between editors and publishers is based on the principle of editorial independence. By the written contract between the editors and the publisher, all editorial decisions are independent of the publisher and the journal owner.

g) Editorial and blind review processes:

Editors must implement the "Blind Review and Evaluation Process" in the journal publication policies. In this context, editors ensure that each study's evaluation process is completed fairly, impartially, and timely.

h) Quality assurance:

Editors are responsible for publishing each article in the journal per the journal's editorial policies and international standards.

i) Protection of personal data:

Editors are responsible for protecting personal data regarding the subjects or images included in the evaluated studies. Unless the explicit consent of the individuals used in the studies is documented, they are responsible for rejecting the study. Editors are also responsible for protecting the personal data of authors, reviewers and readers.

j) Ethics committee, human, and animal rights:

Editors ensure that human and animal rights are protected in the studies evaluated. They are responsible for rejecting the study without ethics committee approval for the subjects used in the studies. Also, editors are responsible for protecting the individual data of author (s), referee (s), and reader (s).

k) Prevention against possible abuse and misconduct:

Editors are obliged to take precautions against possible misconduct and malfeasance. In addition to conducting a rigorous and objective investigation in identifying and evaluating such complaints, the editor is responsible for sharing the relevant findings.

l) Ensuring the integrity of academic publications:

Editors must quickly correct errors, inconsistencies, or misleading judgments.

m) Protection of intellectual property rights:

Editors are responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of all published articles and defending the rights of the journal and the author(s) in case of possible violations. In addition, editors are obliged to take the necessary measures to ensure that the contents of all published articles do not violate the intellectual property rights of other publications.

n) Constructivism and openness to discussion:

Editors need to consider the convincing criticisms of the works published in the journal and show a constructive attitude towards these criticisms. They need to give the author(s) of the criticized studies the right to reply. They should not ignore or exclude studies with negative results.

o) Complaints:

Editors must carefully review complaints from authors, reviewers or readers and respond in an enlightening and explanatory manner.

p) Political and commercial concerns:

The journal's owner, the publisher, and no other political or commercial factors influence the independent judgment of the editors.

r) Conflicts of interest:

The editors guarantee the independent and impartial completion of the publication process, considering conflicts of interest between the author(s), reviewers, and other editors.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Evaluation of all studies by "Blinded Review" directly affects the quality of the publication. This process provides confidence through objective and independent evaluation of the publication. The evaluation process of the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research is conducted with the principle of double-blind reviewing. Reviewers cannot communicate directly with the authors; evaluations and comments are transmitted through the journal management system. Reviewer comments on evaluation forms and full texts are transmitted to the author(s) through the editor during this process. In this context, the referees who evaluate studies for the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research are expected to have the following ethical responsibilities:

-Only manuscripts related to their area should be accepted for review.
-Referees who cannot review the potential manuscript within the specified period should notify the editors immediately and decline the invitation to review, and a new referee should be appointed.
-They should evaluate with impartiality and confidentiality.
-If they think they face a conflict of interest during the evaluation process, they should refuse to review the study and inform the journal editor.
-By the principle of confidentiality, they should destroy the studies they have reviewed after the evaluation process. They can only use the final versions of the studies they have examined only after publication.
-Evaluate objectively only the content of the study. They should not allow nationality, gender, religious beliefs, political beliefs and commercial concerns to influence the evaluation.
-Conduct the evaluation constructively and courteously. They should not make derogatory personal comments containing hostility, slander and insult.
-Carry out the work they accept for evaluation on time and with the above ethical responsibilities.

Ethical Responsibilities of the Publisher

The Editors and Editorial Board of the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research need to act with the awareness of the following ethical responsibilities:

-Editors are responsible for all processes of the studies submitted to the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research. In this regard, editors are the decision-makers without considering economic or political gains.
- Independent editorial decision-making is granted.
-Protects the ownership and copyright of every article published in the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research and must keep a record of every published copy.
-It is responsible for taking measures against all kinds of scientific misconduct, citation mongering, and plagiarism related to editors.

If You Encounter an Unethical Situation

If you encounter any unethical behaviour or content in the Ihlara Journal of Educational Research other than the ethical responsibilities mentioned above, please report it via an e-mail to ihead.editor@aksaray.edu.tr.

Dergiye ilişkin herhangi bir ücretlendirme bulunmamaktadır.