Publication Ethics for the Journal *Instrumentation and News in Radiation Measurements*
Publication ethics refers to a set of norms and rules that should guide all participants in the scientific publishing process in their interactions with one another. The publication process encompasses the submission, peer review, scientific editing, and preparation of scientific articles for publication, as well as their inclusion in an issue of the journal, their dissemination, and their subsequent use.
Principles of Publication Ethics for Editors and Publishers
The interaction between the editorial office and authors is based on the principles of transparency, honesty, courtesy, fairness, and objectivity. In their capacity, editors are responsible for the dissemination of authors’ work, which necessitates adherence to the following fundamental principles:
- When making decisions regarding publication, the editor of a scientific journal is guided by the reliability of the data presented, the scientific significance of the work under consideration, and the results of the peer review process.
- Editors must evaluate the intellectual content of manuscripts regardless of the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, institutional affiliation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, social status, or political preferences.
- Unpublished data obtained from submitted manuscripts must not be used for personal purposes or disclosed to third parties without the author’s written consent. Information or ideas acquired during the editorial process—including those that might offer a competitive advantage—must be kept confidential and must not be used for personal gain.
- Editors must not allow the publication of material if there are reasonable grounds to believe that it constitutes plagiarism.
Plagiarism is the intentional appropriation of authorship of another person’s scientific or artistic work, ideas, or inventions. Plagiarism may constitute a violation of copyright or patent law and, as such, may entail legal liability.
- Editors, in conjunction with publishers, must not leave claims regarding reviewed manuscripts or published materials unaddressed; in the event of a conflict, they must take all necessary measures to restore any infringed rights.
Principles of Publication Ethics for Authors
The author (or group of authors) acknowledges that they bear primary responsibility for the novelty and accuracy of their scientific research results, which entails adherence to the following principles:
- Authors must present accurate results from the research conducted. Knowingly erroneous or falsified statements are unacceptable.
- Authors must guarantee that the research results presented in the submitted manuscript are entirely original. Any borrowed material or statements must be properly cited, with clear attribution to the original author and source. Excessive borrowing, as well as plagiarism in any form—including unreferenced quotations, paraphrasing, or claiming credit for the research results of others—is unethical and unacceptable.
- The contributions of all individuals who influenced the course of the research must be acknowledged; specifically, the article must include references to works that were significant to the conduct of the study.
- Authors must not submit a manuscript to the journal if it has been submitted to another journal and is currently under consideration, nor should they submit an article that has already been published elsewhere.
- All individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the research must be listed as co-authors. It is inappropriate to include as co-authors individuals who did not participate in the research.
- If an author discovers significant errors or inaccuracies in their article—either during the review process or after publication—they must notify the journal’s editorial office as soon as possible.
Publication Ethics for Reviewers
Reviewers conduct a scholarly assessment of submitted materials; therefore, their actions must be impartial. In their professional capacity, the journal’s reviewers adhere to the following principles:
- A manuscript received for review must be treated as a confidential document and must not be shared with or discussed with third parties who have not been authorized by the editorial office.
- Reviewers are expected to provide an objective and well-reasoned assessment of the research results presented. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable.
- Unpublished data obtained from manuscripts submitted for review must not be used by a reviewer for personal purposes.
- A reviewer who believes they lack the necessary qualifications to evaluate a manuscript, or who cannot remain objective—for instance, due to a conflict of interest with the author or the author’s organization—must inform the editor and request to be excluded from the review process for that manuscript.