Turkish Journal of Botany
Special Issue Policy
Special Issue Submissions
Special Issue topics are determined by the editorial team of the journal. Submission for Special Issues follow the same process and author guidelines as regular issue submissions. Potential authors are encouraged to review all submission guidelines and follow the process as outlined. A call for submissions is typically included in the current year's special issue release.
Review Process and Guidelines for Special Issues
Special issues are reviewed and published in the same manner as all other issues of the journal.
Submission and Review Process: Special Issue welcomes submissions from all researchers whose work aligns with the scope and objectives of the issue. While some contributions may be invited, unsolicited submissions are generally encouraged and will receive full consideration. In some cases, however, the entire special issue may consist of invited contributions only. Authors should not interpret an invitation as an automatic acceptance of their paper. The editorial team is committed to transparency and maintaining academic integrity in all special issue content, regardless of how submissions are solicited. All submissions will undergo an initial screening by the Guest Editors to ensure quality and relevance based on predefined criteria. Accepted manuscripts will undergo the same type of peer review process as those submitted for the regular issues of the journal.
Authors will be required to revise their manuscripts based on reviewer feedback. The Guest Editors will recommend acceptance or rejection, with final approval granted by the Editor-in-Chief.
Ethical Standards: This journal adheres to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Submissions will be assessed based on originality, significance, and contribution to the field. The journal ensures a fair and impartial review process, maintains confidentiality, and requires disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest by both authors and reviewers. The journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical publishing practices, including authorship criteria, data integrity, and the handling of research misconduct.
Selection of Outstanding Articles and Awards: To encourage and recognize exceptional scholarly contributions, the journal may grant monetary awards to authors of outstanding articles published in a Special Issue. These awards aim to promote scientific excellence and increase visibility of impactful research. The selection criteria include:
- Originality and significance of the research
- Methodological rigor and clarity
- Potential impact on the field
- Contribution to advancing knowledge
To ensure transparency and accountability, all monetary awards granted in the context of special issues are funded through institutional resources allocated annually by the TÜBİTAK Board of Management Board (TÜBİTAK Yönetim Kurulu) as part of the official budget planning process. The amount and scope of such funding may vary from year to year depending on the overall budget and strategic priorities.
No third-party sponsorships or external commercial funding sources are used for these awards, ensuring the independence and integrity of the editorial and evaluation process. The journal will publicly disclose the existence of any award funding in the foreword or editorial note of the relevant special issue.
Award recipients will be selected by a committee consisting of the Guest Editor(s), Editor-in-Chief, and senior members of the Editorial Board, if needed, to ensure fairness and expertise. The number and monetary value of the awards will be determined based on the available annual budget and within the limits approved by TÜBİTAK's budgetary framework.
Appointment of Guest Editors: Guest Editors for Special Issues are selected based on their expertise, academic reputation, and previous editorial experience. Potential Guest Editors can be nominated by the journal’s editorial board, existing editors, or through self-nomination. Nominations are reviewed by the journal’s editorial board and approved by the Editor-in-Chief. Guest Editors are responsible for defining the scope of the special issue, drafting the call for papers, managing manuscript submissions, overseeing the peer review process, ensuring quality and originality, and making final decisions on manuscript acceptance in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief. Guest editors may also be awarded by the recommendation of the Editor-in-Chief based on available funding.
Publication Timing & Review Process:
Submissions to the journal are accepted on an ongoing basis and should follow the requested submission types while adhering to the full author guidelines outlined here. Submissions are considered for publication in a pending issue once deemed ready for publication, not necessarily based on date of submission. All issues of the journal, including the Special Issues, follow the same editorial and review process and adhere to the guidelines provided on the website. We encourage and welcome your submissions.
