Publication Ethics and Editorial Policy

The journal adheres to high standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, editorial independence, and transparency in scholarly publishing. The editorial policy of the journal complies with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and internationally recognized principles of best practice in academic publishing.

1. General Principles

The editorial policy of the journal is based on the following principles:

  • adherence to academic integrity;
  • objectivity and impartiality in editorial decisions;
  • transparency of submission, peer review, and publication processes;
  • confidentiality of the editorial process;
  • prevention of conflicts of interest;
  • prohibition of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification;
  • accountability of all participants in the publication process.

2. Editorial Independence

Decisions regarding the acceptance, revision, or rejection of manuscripts are made solely on the basis of scientific quality, originality, relevance, methodological soundness, and alignment with the journal’s scope.

Editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial, personal, institutional, or political interests.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required to:

  • submit only original scholarly work;
  • properly cite all sources;
  • not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously;
  • ensure the accuracy and reliability of data and results;
  • include as co-authors only those who made a substantial contribution;
  • disclose funding sources and potential conflicts of interest;
  • inform the Editorial Office about errors identified after submission or publication.

4. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • provide objective, reasoned, and constructive evaluations;
  • maintain confidentiality of manuscripts;
  • disclose any conflicts of interest;
  • not use unpublished materials for personal advantage;
  • inform the Editorial Office about potential plagiarism or ethical concerns.

5. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • ensuring a fair, transparent, and unbiased editorial process;
  • maintaining confidentiality of submitted manuscripts;
  • avoiding conflicts of interest;
  • organizing appropriate peer review;
  • responding to complaints and ethical concerns;
  • making decisions in accordance with COPE recommendations.

6. Plagiarism Screening and Misconduct

All manuscripts may be screened for textual similarity using specialized software such as iThenticate or equivalent tools.

The journal does not tolerate:

  • plagiarism;
  • self-plagiarism;
  • data fabrication or falsification;
  • duplicate publication;
  • inappropriate authorship;
  • citation manipulation;
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest.

7. Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, personal, or other relationships that may influence or be perceived to influence their objectivity.

In case of a conflict of interest, the editor or reviewer must recuse themselves, and an independent editor or reviewer will be appointed.

8. Submissions by Editors and Editorial Board Members

Manuscripts submitted by the Editor-in-Chief, editors, or members of the Editorial Board are handled under a separate procedure. Such individuals are excluded from the editorial process related to their submissions.

An independent handling editor and independent reviewers are appointed for such manuscripts.

9. Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Notices

In cases of significant errors, ethical violations, or unreliable data identified after publication, the journal may:

  • publish a correction;
  • issue an editorial notice;
  • express concern;
  • retract the article.

Such actions are taken in accordance with COPE guidelines.

10. Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, readers, or other stakeholders may submit complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions or ethical concerns.

All cases are reviewed by the Editorial Board in a fair, confidential, and transparent manner, with proper documentation of decisions.

11. Non-Discrimination and Equal Treatment

The journal ensures equal treatment of all participants regardless of gender, age, race, nationality, ethnicity, citizenship, language, religion, political beliefs, health status, disability, socio-economic status, institutional affiliation, or academic status.

12. Responsibility

Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their publications. The Editorial Board and the publisher ensure proper management of the editorial process in accordance with ethical standards and COPE recommendations.