The Journal conducts its publishing activities in accordance with the principles of publication ethics established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the applicable laws of the Republic of Poland.
The Journal adopts the following core values: scientific integrity, transparency of the editorial process, impartiality of evaluation, respect for copyright, and responsibility for published content.
Responsibilities of Authors
The submitting author (corresponding author) bears full responsibility for the originality, reliability, and ethical compliance of the manuscript.
Submitted articles must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal.
The corresponding author, on behalf of all co-authors, is required to declare:
- originality of the work,
- absence of conflicts of interest,
- no infringement of third-party rights,
- consent of all co-authors to publication.
Authorship must reflect actual intellectual contribution. The following practices are unacceptable:
- ghost authorship (omitting contributors),
- gift authorship (including individuals without significant contribution),
- guest authorship (adding authors to increase prestige).
Authors are responsible for the accuracy of data, analyses, and conclusions. Fabrication, falsification, selective omission, or manipulation of data constitutes a violation of publication ethics.
Authors are required to retain source data for at least 5 years after publication and provide access upon request from the Editorial Office or reviewers.
If the research is funded or conducted within a project, authors must disclose funding sources and the nature of cooperation with institutions or sponsors.
If the research involves humans, animals, or personal data, authors must obtain approval from appropriate ethics committees and provide the relevant approval number.
If errors or inaccuracies are identified after publication, the author must promptly inform the Editorial Office and cooperate in issuing an erratum, correction, or retraction.
Responsibilities of the Editorial Office
The Editorial Office is committed to conducting the publication process in an impartial, transparent manner and in accordance with established ethical standards.
Editorial decisions are based solely on the scientific and technical merit of the manuscript, regardless of the authors’ nationality, gender, age, affiliation, or personal beliefs.
Editors and reviewers are required to maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Manuscripts must not be disclosed, cited, or used outside the review process.
The Editorial Office reserves the right to verify the originality of submissions using anti-plagiarism tools.
In cases of suspected ethical misconduct, the Editorial Office initiates an investigation, which may result in:
- rejection of the manuscript prior to publication,
- retraction of a published article with justification,
- notification of the relevant scientific institution or funding body.
Retraction decisions are public and issued in the form of an editorial notice stating the reasons.
Peer Review Ethics
All scientific articles are subject to independent, anonymous peer review (double-blind review).
Reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality and impartiality. They must not use or disclose the content of reviewed manuscripts for personal or third-party purposes.
Reviews should be reliable, constructive, and based solely on scientific criteria.
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest, including personal, professional, or financial relationships with the author.
If plagiarism, duplicate publication, or significant methodological errors are identified, the reviewer must inform the Editorial Office.
Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest arises when circumstances may affect the objectivity of the review or editorial decision.
Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, including:
- financial or professional relationships with institutions that may benefit from the publication,
- personal or family relationships,
- involvement in competing research projects.
In such cases, the Editorial Office takes appropriate measures to ensure impartiality, including exclusion from the review or decision-making process.
Data Transparency and Archiving
Authors are encouraged to make research data and supporting materials available to enable verification of results, while respecting data protection and confidentiality requirements.
The Journal maintains a permanent electronic archive of publications and ensures their availability in national repositories and indexing systems.
Final Provisions
In matters not covered by these guidelines, the COPE Core Practices shall apply.