Publishing Ethics

SDU Law Journal adheres to the highest ethical standards in research and publication. The journal follows the Research Ethics and Research Committee Regulations of SDU University, aiming to uphold general principles guiding ethical research practices. Researchers must familiarize themselves with these policies and ensure ethical compliance in their work.

Research involving human participants must be conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report, which provides guidelines for the protection of research subjects’ rights. During publication, authors and other contributors must adhere to the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The editorial board of SDU Law Journal makes acceptance or rejection decisions solely based on the intellectual content of submitted manuscripts. Editors have the right to reject articles that violate legal standards related to defamation, copyright infringement, or plagiarism. Additionally, they are required to maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts before publication.

Publishing peer-reviewed articles reflects the quality of the authors’ work and the institutions that support them. It is essential that all participants in the publication process – authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers – adhere to ethical standards.

SDU Law Journal welcomes relevant and original research in the field of law. Submitted manuscripts must not have been previously published or be under review by another journal. The journal only accepts articles written in Kazakh, English, or Russian.

If the research involves human or animal subjects, authors must obtain ethical approvals required by their respective institutions and submit the relevant documents along with their manuscript. If necessary, the editorial board and reviewers may verify the authenticity of the ethical approvals provided by the authors.

Author responsibilities
Authors must accurately describe their research and provide a fair analysis of its relevance. Important data should be clearly presented in the manuscript. Sufficient information and references should be included to allow replication of the study. False or misleading statements are considered unethical and will not be accepted.

Originality and Plagiarism
SDU Law Journal places great importance on academic integrity and ethical standards. Authors must ensure the originality of their work and properly cite the work or words of others. All forms of plagiarism are strictly prohibited, including copying or paraphrasing another person’s work without proper acknowledgment or presenting someone else’s research findings as their own.

To uphold commitments to originality and integrity, the journal utilizes Turnitin. This tool strengthens the journal’s dedication to maintaining high academic standards. All submitted articles are checked for plagiarism through Turnitin and 80% originality is strictly required. This process aims to detect and prevent both accidental and intentional plagiarism, fostering a scholarly environment based on authentic and credible research. In legal studies, excerpts from legal texts presented as complete sentences are not considered plagiarism. Additionally, according to order No. 127 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated March 31, 2011, “the reproduction of normative legal acts, official document titles, names of state or other official institutions, commonly accepted terms in the relevant field of science, definitions, and excerpts from studied literary works does not constitute plagiarism, provided that their use does not compromise the originality of the submitted article. The use of technical means or methods to evade plagiarism detection is also strictly prohibited”.

Repetition, Multiple, or Parallel Publications
Authors are not permitted to publish articles describing the same study in more than one journal or other publication. Submitting the same article to multiple journals simultaneously is considered unethical.

Verification of Sources in Research
Authors are required to appropriately acknowledge the contributions of other researchers. They must cite sources that have significantly influenced the development of their research. Any information obtained through personal communications, such as conversations or correspondence, should not be used or shared without the explicit written consent of the original source author. Similarly, confidential information obtained from activities such as manuscript or grant application reviews must not be used without the author’s explicit written permission.

Article Authorship
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or analysis of the research being conducted. All individuals who have made significant contributions must be listed as co-authors. Those who have contributed to key aspects of the research project should be acknowledged or listed as participants. The author must ensure that all co-authors, and no unrelated individuals, are included in the manuscript. The final version of the manuscript must be reviewed and approved by all co-authors before submission for publication.

Risks to Research Subjects: Humans or Animals
If hazardous chemicals, specific procedures, or equipment are used in the research, the author must clearly indicate these risks in the manuscript. If the study involves animals or human participants, the manuscript must include a statement confirming that all procedures were conducted in compliance with applicable laws and institutional regulations and that approval was obtained from the appropriate institutional committees. Additionally, authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained for experiments involving human participants. The confidentiality of individuals must always be maintained.

Disclosure of Information and Conflict of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial or other significant conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their research in their manuscript. They must also provide information about all sources of financial support for the project.

Corrections of Significant Errors in Published Research
If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate to retract or correct the article. If a third party informs the editor of a significant error in a published work, the author must promptly correct or retract the article as necessary or provide evidence confirming the accuracy of the original work.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools

SDU Law journal editorial board does not support the use of generative AI programs for writing sections of manuscripts. Authors using generative AI tools are encouraged to follow the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

According to COPE guidelines, if authors use AI tools for writing, generating images or graphics, or collecting and analyzing data, they must disclose how AI was used and specify which tools were employed in the methodology section of the manuscript. Authors bear full responsibility for the content of the manuscript, including AI-generated sections. Additionally, AI and AI-assisted technologies should not be listed as authors, as authorship entails responsibilities and obligations that apply only to humans.

A statement regarding the use of AI tools must be included when the manuscript is first submitted. This statement should be provided when uploading the manuscript to the journal’s online system. However, such disclosure is not required for basic tools used for grammar, spelling, or reference checks. If AI tools were not used, no statement is necessary.