•  
  •  
 

Policies

Affiliations

Authors are required to include all relevant institutional affiliations that indicate where the research was carried out, approved, or supported. For non-research articles, authors should provide their current institutional affiliation. If an author changes affiliation prior to publication, the institution where the work was originally conducted should be listed as the main affiliation, while the new affiliation and contact information may be mentioned in the acknowledgments. A change in affiliation alone does not justify the removal of an author, as long as the individual meets the established authorship criteria.

{ top }

Appeals and Complaints

Any complaints, concerns, or appeals related to authorship or the peer-review process, including those arising after publication should be directed to the Editors-in-Chief. They will conduct an investigation by first gathering information from all relevant parties and then determining an appropriate course of action in accordance with the ethical standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE; https://publicationethics.org/). The review or publication process may be paused until the matter is fully resolved. In cases where the Editors-in-Chief are directly involved in the issue, the responsibility for the investigation will be delegated to the Editorial Board, led by its most senior member, who will evaluate the matter and recommend appropriate actions.

{ top }

Acknowledgment

Individuals who have contributed to the article in various capacities such as general oversight, funding acquisition, study design, data collection or analysis, technical support, formatting or writing assistance, or meaningful scholarly discussions that shaped the manuscript but do not fulfil the criteria for authorship, should be acknowledged by name and institutional affiliation in the ‘Acknowledgments’ section. It is the authors’ responsibility to inform these individuals and obtain their consent to be mentioned. This process should involve sharing the article with them to ensure the context of their contribution is accurately represented.

Groups or teams whose contributions were substantial but did not meet authorship requirements may be listed under designations like “clinical investigators” or “participating investigators,” along with a brief explanation of their role (e.g., “provided scientific input,” “reviewed the study design,” “collected clinical data,” or “managed patient care”). Because such acknowledgments might imply endorsement of the findings, written permission from each individual must be secured.

Furthermore, any use of AI-based content generation tools, such as large language models or similar technologies must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript. Authors are fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of all content, and must ensure that such tools are employed in a manner consistent with the journal’s authorship guidelines and ethical publishing standards.

{ top }

Authorship

Authorship Criteria

In Buletin Konseling Inovatif, authorship is reserved for individuals who have made substantial and meaningful contributions to a manuscript. These contributions must go beyond routine or administrative tasks and involve intellectual input at various stages of the research process. To be listed as an author, one must meet all of the following conditions: (1) significantly contributed to the study’s conception or design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation; (2) participated actively in drafting the manuscript, providing substantial revisions, or critically reviewing it for important intellectual content; (3) approved the final version of the manuscript for submission and publication; and (4) agreed to be accountable for the integrity of the entire work, including resolving any questions related to its accuracy or ethical conduct.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that every listed co-author fulfills these criteria and that no inappropriate authors are included. All co-authors must have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to its submission. Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors are discouraged after submission and will only be considered under special circumstances. In such cases, the corresponding author must provide a detailed justification and written consent from all affected authors. Once a manuscript is accepted, changes in authorship are subject to editorial approval and may be declined if appropriate documentation is not provided. If a change is required post-publication, it will be handled through a formal correction notice.

Contribution Details

To enhance transparency in scholarly publishing, Buletin Konseling Inovatif encourages authors to clearly outline the specific contributions made by each co-author. This should be done using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) framework, which provides standardized terms for different roles such as conceptualization, methodology, software development, validation, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, writing-original draft, writing-review and editing, visualization, supervision, project administration, and funding acquisition. Each author’s name should be followed by the roles they performed, and this contribution statement will appear alongside the published article. At least one author should serve as the guarantor who accepts full responsibility for the integrity of the work from start to finish.

In addition to named authors, individuals who contributed to the project in other capacities such as through technical support, funding acquisition, general supervision, or scholarly discussion should be acknowledged in a dedicated Acknowledgments section. Their full name and affiliation must be included, and authors are responsible for notifying them and obtaining their consent to be listed. If groups or institutions contributed to the study in a collective capacity (e.g., clinical investigators or supporting institutions), their role should be briefly described.

Any assistance from AI-based tools (such as large language models used for drafting or editing text) must be explicitly disclosed in the manuscript. While these tools may assist the writing process, the human authors remain fully responsible for ensuring the originality, accuracy, and ethical compliance of the content.

{ top }

Citations

Both research and non-research articles are expected to reference literature that is relevant, up-to-date, and reliable, preferably from peer-reviewed sources to substantiate the claims presented in the manuscript. Authors must refrain from engaging in excessive or inappropriate self-citation, or from forming citation agreements with other groups to artificially increase citation counts, as such practices constitute citation manipulation, which is a serious ethical violation. For more information, authors are encouraged to consult the COPE guidelines on citation manipulation.

For non-research articles such as reviews or opinion pieces, it is particularly important to cite references that are directly relevant and that reflect a comprehensive and balanced perspective on the current body of knowledge. Citations should not disproportionately favor a specific research group, institution, or journal, as doing so can introduce bias and undermine the objectivity of the work.

If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of citing a particular source, you are advised to consult the editorial office for guidance prior to submission.

{ top }

Conflict of Interest/ Competing Interest

A conflict of interest (COI), also referred to as a competing interest, arises when external factors unrelated to the research have the potential to be perceived as influencing the neutrality or objectivity of the study or its evaluation. Authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts regardless of whether they have actually affected the research process to ensure transparency and enable informed editorial decisions. In most cases, the presence of a declared conflict will not prevent a manuscript from being published or reviewed, but full disclosure is essential.

If there is any uncertainty regarding a potential conflict, it is recommended that authors either disclose it or consult with the editorial office for clarification. Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest may result in editorial sanctions. Manuscripts with conflicts that are discovered after submission may be rejected, and published articles could be subject to re-evaluation, correction notices, or in severe instances, retraction.

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

  • Financial interests: any funding, payments, services, or goods received or anticipated from entities with a vested interest in the research outcomes;
    Institutional affiliations: employment, advisory roles, or membership in organizations that may benefit from the findings
  • Intellectual property rights: ownership of patents, trademarks, or similar proprietary interests
  • Personal relationships: familial, romantic, or close personal ties that may compromise objectivity
  • Academic competition: professional rivalry or involvement with individuals whose work is being critically evaluated in the manuscript.

All authors must ensure full and honest disclosure of any potential conflicts to uphold the integrity of the research and the publication process.

{ top }

Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

Occasionally, it may be necessary to make modifications to an article after it has been officially published. Such changes are made only after thorough consideration by the Editor, in consultation with the journal's editorial team, and in alignment with the ethical standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Any post-publication updates are documented through a permanent public notice, which is directly linked to the original article to ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of the scholarly record.

There are several types of formal post-publication notices. A Correction (either as a Corrigendum or an Erratum) is issued when a mistake or omission is discovered that affects the clarity or interpretation of the article, but does not compromise its scientific validity. A Corrigendum typically refers to errors made by the authors, while an Erratum indicates errors introduced during the production process by the publisher. Examples include mislabelled figures, incorrect author affiliations, or omitted funding or conflict-of-interest statements.

A Retraction is issued when a serious issue is identified that undermines the credibility of the article such as flawed methodology, data fabrication, image manipulation, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or lack of ethical approval. Retractions are handled according to COPE guidelines, and may also be requested by authors or their institutions, provided the justification meets the journal’s retraction criteria. Retraction notices will always:

  • Be linked to and from the original article;
  • Clearly mark the article as retracted in both HTML and PDF formats using a watermark;
  • Provide a detailed explanation for the retraction;
  • Identify the party requesting the retraction (e.g., the authors or editor).

It is important to emphasize that retractions are issued to correct the academic record—not to penalize the authors. The journal generally does not issue retractions to resolve authorship disputes; instead, such cases may be addressed through a Corrigendum, if appropriately supported by all authors and their institutions.

To reduce the impact of misleading content, the journal aims to issue retractions promptly. In cases where significant concerns have been raised but a full investigation is pending or inconclusive, an Expression of Concern may be published. This allows the journal to alert readers while maintaining a neutral stance until the matter is resolved. If necessary, a retraction or correction may follow once the investigation concludes. All related notices will remain permanently accessible as part of the published record.

In extremely rare and exceptional situations such as when an article contains defamatory content, breaches legal rights, or is subject to a legal order a Removal Notice may be issued. In these cases, the article will be withdrawn from online access, and a formal notice of removal will be published in its place to explain the action taken.

{ top }

For any manuscript that includes identifiable information or images of an individual, authors must obtain written informed consent from the person featured. In cases involving children under the age of 18, consent must be provided by a parent or legal guardian. The consent must specifically authorize the publication of these details under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

If the individual has deceased, consent must be obtained from their next of kin. The manuscript must clearly state that written informed consent for publication has been secured.

>Authors may use the journal’s standard consent form or an equivalent form issued by their institution or local authority, provided that it includes a declaration acknowledging that the information or images will be published online and made available to the general public. Editors may request access to the signed consent forms, which will be kept confidential.

{ top }

Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents. They will not be shared with anyone outside of those directly involved in the editorial and publication process. This includes the editorial team, corresponding authors, assigned reviewers, potential reviewers, and handling editors. In the event of a suspected ethical violation or misconduct, the manuscript may be disclosed to relevant parties, such as the journal’s ethics committee or institutional authorities, if necessary for investigation and resolution. The journal adheres to the appropriate procedures as outlined in the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) flowcharts when addressing such concerns.

{ top }

Who Can Submit?

Anyone may submit an original article to be considered for publication in Buletin Konseling Inovatif provided he or she owns the copyright to the work being submitted or is authorized by the copyright owner or owners to submit the article.

User Right

Buletin Konseling Inovatif is an Open Access journal. Users are free to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of its articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
License details: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Author Right

The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright, and to retain publishing rights without any restrictions.

{ top }

Data Falsification/ Fabrication

The intentional manipulation or fabrication of data is regarded as a serious breach of research ethics. Such actions are aimed at misleading the scholarly community and compromise the reliability of the academic record, often resulting in long-lasting and far-reaching consequences.

Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal are responsible for ensuring that all data presented are accurate, truthful, and a faithful representation of their work. To support the evaluation process, authors are expected to retain all original (raw) data associated with their submitted manuscripts.

Failure to provide the original data upon request may lead to the rejection of the manuscript or, in the case of already published work, may result in the article being declined or retracted.

{ top }

Desk Rejection Policy

  • The subject matter or scope of the manuscript falls outside the journal's area of focus or disciplinary relevance.
  • The manuscript contains ethical issues, fails to adhere to established international publishing standards, or exhibits a high level of plagiarism (with a similarity index exceeding 30%).
  • The study lacks sufficient novelty or significance and does not offer meaningful contributions to the existing body of knowledge.
  • The research design contains methodological weaknesses or inconsistencies.
  • The study lacks a clearly defined research objective or purpose.
  • The manuscript demonstrates structural deficiencies, and/or key components of the study are incomplete or missing.
  • There are significant issues with language use, including grammatical errors or inappropriate writing style.
  • The manuscript does not comply with the journal’s formatting and submission guidelines.

{ top }

Duplicate Submission/ Publication

When submitting a manuscript, authors must confirm that it is not simultaneously under review by another journal. Submitting or publishing the same work in multiple venues is generally viewed as intentional misconduct. This policy also applies to articles that have been published in another language.

In cases where a secondary publication, such as a translated version, is being considered, authors must obtain prior permission from the original publisher and copyright holder, and must also inform the Editor of the target journal about the publication history of the original work. Furthermore, it must be clearly stated to readers that the manuscript is a translated version, and an appropriate citation to the original article must be provided.

{ top }

Funding

Authors are expected to disclose all sources of funding and financial support associated with their work within the manuscript. This includes providing a clear explanation of the role, if any, played by the funder(s) in various stages of the research process from study design to the preparation and submission of the manuscript. If the funder(s) had no involvement, this should also be explicitly stated. It is essential that all funding information is presented accurately and in alignment with the requirements set by the funding institution(s).

{ top }

Images and Figures

Photographs, videos, or audio recordings that may reveal the identity of patients or study participants can only be included in a manuscript if explicit Consent to Publish has been obtained. This consent must be provided by the individual depicted, or by a legal representative such as parents or guardians for minors or vulnerable individuals, or next of kin if the participant is deceased.

Authors must ensure that facial features or other identifying characteristics are obscured (e.g., through blurring or masking) unless explicit written consent for full facial disclosure has been granted. This measure is required to protect the privacy and dignity of individuals depicted in visual materials.

Cultural sensitivities must also be respected, especially when manuscripts include images of human remains or deceased individuals, which may be considered inappropriate in certain cultures. Ethical practices should reflect the values and approval processes of the communities involved.

Scientific or experimental images, such as those obtained via microscopy, must faithfully represent the original data. Any modifications must be disclosed in detail within the manuscript and figure legend to avoid misleading readers. Upon request, authors must be able to provide the original, unedited, uncropped, and unannotated images.

Image enhancements are only acceptable if minor and applied uniformly across the image. Authors are required to describe the image acquisition process and specify any modifications made, including the name and version of the software used. Any edits that could alter the scientific meaning of the image are strictly prohibited.

Figures or images reused from previously published sources must be accompanied by written permission from the copyright holder, and the original source must be clearly cited even in cases where reuse is permitted under an open license.

{ top }

Misconduct

The journal takes all forms of misconduct seriously and will take all necessary action, in accordance with COPE guidelines, to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Examples of misconduct include (but are not limited to):

  • Affiliation misrepresentation
  • Breaches in copyright/use of third-party material without appropriate permissions
  • Citation manipulation
  • Duplicate submission/publication
  • “Ethics dumping”
  • Image or data manipulation/fabrication
  • Peer review manipulation
  • Plagiarism
  • Text-recycling/self-plagiarism
  • Undisclosed competing interests
  • Unethical research

Duplicate Submission

Manuscripts that have already been published or are concurrently under review by another journal will be subject to sanctions for duplicate submission or publication. If authors build upon their own previously published work or work currently under review, they must clearly reference the earlier material and explicitly describe how the submitted manuscript presents new and original contributions beyond the prior work.

Citation Manipulation

Manuscripts submitted with references that appear to be included primarily to artificially boost the citation count of a specific author or journal may be subject to sanctions for citation manipulation.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

Manuscripts determined to contain fabricated or falsified experimental data including altered or manipulated images will be subject to sanctions for data fabrication and falsification.

Improper Author Contribution or Attribution

Every author listed on the manuscript must have contributed meaningfully to the scientific aspects of the research and must have approved all the statements and findings presented. It is essential to acknowledge all individuals who played a substantial scientific role in the work, including students and lab technicians.

Redundant Publications

Redundant publication refers to the unethical practice of splitting the results of a single study into multiple separate articles without proper justification.

Image Manipulation

Intentionally altering or fabricating images in a deceptive manner is considered a serious violation of research ethics, as it aims to mislead readers and undermines the credibility of the scholarly record, potentially resulting in significant and lasting consequences.

The journal requires that all images submitted in manuscripts accurately reflect the original data and remain free from inappropriate manipulation. Image elements must not be selectively enhanced, hidden, repositioned, deleted, or artificially inserted unless the nature of the alteration is clearly described. Minor adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance are permissible, provided they do not distort or conceal any part of the original information. When images are composed from different sections such as in gels, western blots, or microscopic fields this must be transparently indicated either in the figure layout or in the accompanying figure legend.

If authors are unable to provide the original, unmodified image files upon request, the manuscript may be rejected or a published article may be subject to retraction.

{ top }

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to all its content. Users may read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles freely, without prior permission from the publisher or author, fully in line with the principles of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

The BOAI promotes the free availability of peer-reviewed journals online, enabling access without financial, legal, or technical barriers. It encourages two main strategies to achieve open access:

  • Self-Archiving – authors deposit their articles in open repositories.
  • Open-Access Journals – journals provide unrestricted access to content and adopt alternative funding models.

Open access increases visibility, accelerates research, and ensures equitable access to knowledge for all.

For more information, visit: https://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org

{ top }

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to this journal undergo a double-blind peer review process, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to one another. Submissions are first screened by the editorial team to ensure alignment with the journal’s aims and scope, particularly its commitment to counseling as a form of social intervention that addresses systemic inequality. Manuscripts that meet the initial criteria will then be evaluated by at least two independent peer reviewers with relevant expertise.

The journal maintains high standards of academic rigor and ethical integrity. The final decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript rests with the editorial board and is made based on the reviewers’ recommendations, academic merit, relevance, and the manuscript's contribution to the field of counseling as a tool for empowerment, inclusion, and social transformation.

In cases where a manuscript raises significant ethical, social, or contextual concerns particularly those involving vulnerable populations, cultural sensitivities, or structural inequities, we may seek input beyond the standard review process. This may involve consultation with subject matter experts, additional editorial assessment, or the recruitment of reviewers with specialized knowledge. In certain circumstances, the journal may also decline to proceed with the review process to uphold ethical and social responsibility in scholarly publishing.

{ top }

Plagiarism Policy

The journal has a strict policy against plagiarism, where the journal does not tolerate using others’ ideas, words, or work without acknowledgment. Submissions containing plagiarism in whole or part, duplicate and redundant publication, or self-plagiarism (same or a different language), will be rejected. The Preprint archive will not be considered a duplicate publication. The corresponding author is responsible for the manuscript through and after the evaluation and publication process with the authority to act on behalf of all co-authors. All submitted manuscripts are checked for plagiarism using professional plagiarism-checking software. Submitted manuscripts with an unacceptable similarity index resulting from plagiarism are rejected immediately.

{ top }

Preprints Policy

Authors can share their preprint anywhere at any time. If accepted for publication, we encourage authors to link from the preprint to their formal publication via its Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Authors can update their preprints on arXiv or RePEc, etc. with their accepted manuscript.

{ top }

Protection of Patients' Rights to Privacy

Identifying information should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, sonograms, CT scans, etc., and pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian, wherever applicable) gives informed consent for publication. Authors should remove patients' names from figures unless they have obtained informed consent from the patients. The journal abides by ICMJE guidelines:

  • Authors, not the journals nor the publisher, need to obtain the patient consent form before the publication and have the form properly archived. The consent forms are not to be uploaded with the cover letter or sent through email to editorial or publisher offices.
  • If the manuscript contains patient images that preclude anonymity or a description that has an obvious indication of the identity of the patient, a statement about obtaining informed patient consent should be indicated in the manuscript.

{ top }

Research Ethics and Consent

Studies in Humans and Animals

If the work involves the use of human subjects, the author should ensure that the work described has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving humans. The manuscript should be in line with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals and aim for the inclusion of representative human populations (sex, age, and ethnicity) as per those recommendations. The terms sex and gender should be used correctly.

Authors should include a statement in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained for experimentation with human subjects. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be observed.

All animal experiments should comply with the ARRIVE guidelines and should be carried out in accordance with the U.K. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 and associated guidelines, EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments, or the National Research Council's Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the authors should clearly indicate in the manuscript that such guidelines have been followed. The sex of animals must be indicated, and where appropriate, the influence (or association) of sex on the results of the study.

Informed consent

Patients have a right to privacy that should not be violated without informed consent. Identifying information, including names, initials, or hospital numbers, should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian) gives written informed consent for publication. Informed consent for this purpose requires that an identifiable patient be shown the manuscript to be published. Authors should disclose to these patients whether any potentially identifiable material might be available via the Internet as well as in print after publication. Patient consent should be written and archived either with the journal, the authors, or both, as dictated by local regulations or laws. Nonessential identifying details should be omitted. Informed consent should be obtained if there is any doubt that anonymity can be maintained. For example, masking the eye region in photographs of patients is inadequate protection of anonymity. If identifying characteristics are altered to protect anonymity, such as in genetic pedigrees, authors should provide assurance, and editors should so note, that such alterations do not distort scientific meaning. When informed consent has been obtained, it should be indicated in the published article.

{ top }

Standards of Reporting

Research should be communicated in a way that supports verification and reproducibility, and as such, we encourage authors to provide comprehensive descriptions of their research rationale, protocol, methodology, and analysis.

{ top }

Use of Third-party Material

You must obtain the necessary permission to reuse third-party material in your article. These materials may include – but are not limited to – text, illustration, photographs, tables, data, audio, video, film stills, screenshots, or musical notation.

The use of short extracts of text and some other types of material is usually permitted, on a limited basis, for the purposes of criticism and review without securing formal permission. If you wish to include any material in your paper for which you do not hold copyright, and which is not covered by this informal agreement, you will need to obtain written permission from the copyright owner prior to submission.

{ top }

Use of Generative AI and AI-assisted Technologies in Writing

Please note the policy only refers to the writing process, and not to the use of AI tools to analyze and draw insights from data as part of the research process.

Authors who incorporate AI and AI-assisted technologies into their writing process should do so with the intention of enhancing readability and language, rather than substituting essential authoring tasks such as generating scientific, pedagogic, or medical insights, drawing scientific conclusions, or offering clinical recommendations. The application of this technology should always be under human oversight and control, and all work should be subjected to careful review and editing. AI has the potential to produce content that sounds authoritative but may be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. Ultimately, authors bear the responsibility and accountability for the content they produce.

Authors must openly disclose their use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in their manuscripts, and a statement to this effect will be included in the published work. Such transparency fosters trust among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and contributors and ensures compliance with the terms of use for the relevant tools or technologies.

Authors should refrain from attributing authorship to AI or listing AI as a co-author. Authorship entails responsibilities and tasks that can only be fulfilled by humans. Each author is responsible for addressing inquiries regarding the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work and for approving the final version of the work and consenting to its submission. The authors also have a duty to ensure the originality of the work, that the stated authors meet the criteria for authorship, and that the work does not infringe upon the rights of third parties.

{ top }