Journal of Critical Issues and Discourse Studies (JCIDS)
JCIDS is a peer-reviewed international journal. This statement clarifies the ethical behavior of all parties involved in the publication of an article in this journal, including the author, the editor-in-chief, the editorial board, the peer reviewers, and the publisher. This statement is based on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication
The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal such as JCIDS is a fundamental building block in the development of a coherent and respected body of knowledge. It directly reflects the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support them. Because discourse studies critically engage with language, power, and ideology, maintaining high ethical standards is essential to protect scholarly integrity and promote fair intellectual exchange.

Duties of Editors
Fair Play and Editorial Independence
Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts solely on the basis of their scholarly merit—such as originality, methodological rigor, theoretical contribution, and relevance to the journal’s scope—without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious belief, political philosophy, or institutional affiliation. Editorial decisions are not influenced by government policies or external agencies. The Editor-in-Chief has full authority over the content of the journal and the timing of publication.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, peer reviewers, potential reviewers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors must not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for their own research without explicit written consent from the authors. They should recuse themselves from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other connections with the authors or related institutions.

Publication Decisions
All manuscripts submitted to JCIDS undergo double-blind peer review by at least two reviewers with relevant expertise. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which manuscripts will be published, guided by the reviewers’ evaluations, the importance of the work, and legal requirements regarding libel, copyright, and plagiarism.

Duties of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists editors in making informed editorial decisions and helps authors improve their work through constructive feedback. As discourse studies involve interpretation and critical engagement with ideology, reviewers are expected to evaluate submissions fairly, avoiding bias toward particular political or theoretical stances.

Promptness
Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript, or who cannot provide a timely review, must notify the editors immediately.

Confidentiality
All manuscripts received for review are confidential documents and should not be shared or discussed with others unless authorized by the Editor-in-Chief.

Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively. Criticism should focus on scholarly arguments, not on personal attributes of the author.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify uncited relevant work and report any substantial overlap between the manuscript and other publications known to them.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest arising from connections with authors, institutions, or funding bodies. Unpublished materials from a manuscript must not be used in a reviewer’s own research without written consent from the authors.

Duties of Authors
Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate account of their research, supported by sound methodology and theoretical justification. Manuscripts should provide sufficient detail and references to allow replication or further scholarly engagement. Subjectivity in discourse analysis is acknowledged, but claims must be grounded in transparent evidence and critical reasoning.

Data Access and Retention
Authors may be asked to provide supporting data, transcripts, or corpus sources. They should ensure data accessibility while respecting confidentiality, copyright, and ethical considerations, especially when dealing with sensitive materials such as interviews or online communications.

Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must submit only original work and properly cite sources that influenced their study. Plagiarism in any form—including unacknowledged paraphrasing, self-plagiarism, or appropriation of others’ analyses—is unacceptable.

Multiple or Redundant Publication
Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously or publish substantially similar work in multiple outlets. Exceptions may apply for translations or interdisciplinary publications with prior agreement and proper cross-referencing.

Authorship of the Manuscript
Only those who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, analysis, or writing should be listed as authors. All co-authors must approve the final version and consent to submission. Others who contributed to the work should be acknowledged.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest (financial, institutional, or personal) that could influence the interpretation of their findings. All sources of financial support must be acknowledged.

Acknowledgment of Sources
Proper credit must be given to prior research and intellectual contributions. Information obtained privately (e.g., interviews, unpublished data) should not be used without explicit permission.

Research Ethics
If a study involves human participants, authors must confirm that ethical guidelines were followed, including informed consent and the protection of participants’ identities. When dealing with sensitive sociopolitical contexts, authors must take extra care to avoid harm to individuals or communities represented in their research.

Corrections and Retractions
If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they are obliged to promptly inform the editors and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article.

Duties of the Publisher
Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior
In cases of alleged misconduct, plagiarism, or unethical research, the publisher (in collaboration with the editors) will investigate and take appropriate measures, which may include corrections, retractions, or sanctions.

Access to Journal Content
The publisher is committed to the permanent availability, digital preservation, and accessibility of all published research.