The Journal of Kryvyi Rih National University is fully committed to upholding the principles of publication ethics as defined by the
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal prioritises the integrity, originality, and transparency of all submitted manuscripts and takes all possible measures to prevent unethical practices, including plagiarism, data falsification, and authorship misconduct.
Originality and Multiple Submissions
All submissions must be original work that has not been published previously and is not under consideration elsewhere, except under exceptional circumstances and only with prior consent from the editorial board. Submitting the same or substantially overlapping work to multiple journals, whether verbatim, partially, or through paraphrasing, constitutes duplicate submission and is considered unethical. Violations will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript and may lead to sanctions against the authors.
Citation Manipulation
Manuscripts containing citations primarily intended to artificially increase citation counts for a particular author or journal will be rejected. Such practices are considered unethical and may result in further action against the authors.
Data Falsification and Fabrication
Any submission found to contain falsified, fabricated, or manipulated experimental data, including manipulated images, will be rejected and may trigger sanctions. The journal reserves the right to conduct investigations in line with COPE guidelines whenever misconduct is suspected.
Investigation and Author Communication
Upon identifying potential misconduct, the editorial team will investigate the matter thoroughly. Authors will be contacted via the email addresses provided and given the opportunity to respond. Depending on the severity of the issue, the journal may:
- Reject the manuscript if still under review.
- Issue corrections, errata, corrigenda, or retractions if the article has already been published online.
Corrections and Erratum
- Correction: Published for errors affecting the accuracy of data, calculations, or experimental results.
- Erratum: Issued when the journal editorial team introduces significant errors during the production or publication process.
- Corrigendum: Issued for substantial mistakes made by the authors.
Corrections are initiated by authors, editors, or readers, reviewed by the editorial board, and published as a separate document linked to the original article, clearly marked “Correction.”
Retractions
Retraction may be necessary in cases where:
- Data are proven unreliable or falsified.
- The work constitutes plagiarism, duplicate publication, or fraudulent authorship.
- The peer-review process was compromised.
- The research violated ethical or professional standards.
Retraction requests may be submitted by authors, editors, or third parties. The editorial board conducts a thorough investigation, consulting external experts if needed. Retraction decisions are issued by the Editor-in-Chief or their deputy and are implemented as follows:
The original article is marked with a watermark “Retracted.”
The title is updated to “Retraction: [Article Title].”
A separate retraction notice with its own DOI is published, signed by the editors.
Authors may request to withdraw a manuscript prior to publication by submitting a signed statement explaining the reason. Withdrawn manuscripts are removed from the publisher’s database, while authors retain copyright.
Paper Mills and Systematic Manipulation
If a manuscript is found to be part of a group of publications affected by systematic fraud (e.g., “paper mills”), the editorial board may retract the article and clearly state that it is associated with compromised submissions.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Undisclosed or deceptive use of AI tools for text, image, or data generation is considered serious misconduct and may result in retraction. Authors must transparently declare any AI usage. The editorial team may use automated detection tools, expert review, and direct inquiries to verify compliance.
Authorship Misconduct and Identity Theft
Manuscripts may be withdrawn if there is evidence of false authorship, unauthorized use of personal identifiers (e.g., names, ORCID), or coercive or hidden authorship.
Expression of Concern
When serious doubts about the integrity of an article arise but insufficient evidence exists for immediate retraction, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern. This notice is assigned a DOI, linked to the original article, and provides a brief explanation. It remains publicly available until the investigation concludes.
Timeliness and Transparency
Decisions regarding corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions are made promptly to maintain scientific integrity. When final author approval is not possible, the editorial board reserves the right to issue notices without delay.
Availability of Retracted Articles
Retracted articles remain accessible in the journal archives and databases, clearly marked as “Retracted.” Complete removal is only considered in exceptional circumstances, such as legal compliance, copyright violations, data protection issues, or safety concerns.
