Editors of the Turkish Review of Communication Studies are required to adhere strictly to ethical standards and the principles set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in academic publishing processes. The core responsibilities of editors are outlined below:

1. Impartiality and Transparency:

* Editors must evaluate manuscripts based on their scientific merit in an unbiased manner. Personal attributes of authors, such as gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, nationality, or political opinions, should not affect the evaluation process.
* Ensuring that the manuscript review process is transparent and fair, and maintaining open communication with authors and reviewers at all stages is the responsibility of the editors.

2. Confidentiality:

* Editors must maintain confidentiality throughout the review process. Manuscripts should not be disclosed to anyone outside of the reviewers and editorial team. Reviewer reports should also be kept confidential and shared only with relevant parties.

3. Conflict of Interest:

* Editors must prevent conflicts of interest during the evaluation of manuscripts. Manuscripts from authors with personal or professional relationships or competition with the editor should not be considered for review.

4. Publication Decision:

* Editors make publication decisions based on reviewer reports and the scientific validity of the manuscript. The decision should be based on the scientific quality of the manuscript, regardless of the author's academic title or institutional affiliation.
* In cases of rejection, editors should provide the authors with the reasons for the decision.

5. Management of the Review Process:

* Editors should manage the double-blind review process meticulously and ensure fair and effective communication between reviewers and authors.
* Feedback from reviewers should be evaluated impartially and communicated to the authors.

6. Handling of Ethical Violations:

* Editors must address ethical violations identified in manuscripts (such as plagiarism, misrepresentation, and falsification) with seriousness and take necessary actions within the framework of COPE guidelines.

* Necessary corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern should be published in response to ethical complaints.

7. Continuity of the Publishing Process:

* Editors are responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the journal’s publishing process. They should take the necessary steps to maintain quality and continuity at all stages of the publishing process.

8. Innovation and Development:

* Editors should develop new ideas and approaches to ensure the continuous development of the journal, and contribute to enhancing the journal’s reputation through collaboration with the scientific community.

9. Journal Content Categories:

* The journal may include articles such as commentary, review articles, conference research notes, short notes, events, book and film reviews, which do not require peer review. The distinction between peer-reviewed publications and non-peer-reviewed publications should be clearly stated.
* The editor may offer comments and suggestions regarding which category a submitted manuscript may fall under and share this information with the author. The final decision rests with the author and/or editor.