The editorial office of the collection of scientific papers “Book Qualilogy” adheres to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and opposes all forms of misconduct. Particular attention is paid to verifying the originality of submissions and preventing plagiarism.

Duplicate Submission

Authors must submit only original manuscripts that are not under consideration by other academic publications at the same time (except in rare exceptional cases and only with prior agreement of the editorial office). Failure to comply with this requirement may include simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals or the preparation of multiple publications based on the same study. Similar to plagiarism, duplicate submission may take various forms, including full duplication, partial but substantial reproduction of content, or paraphrased presentation of research results. Violation of this policy is grounds for immediate rejection of the manuscript and may result in sanctions against the authors.

Citation Manipulation

Manuscripts containing signs of unethical citation practices, including the inclusion of references to artificially inflate citation metrics of specific authors or journals, will be immediately rejected. The editorial office reserves the right to impose appropriate sanctions.

Data Falsification

Detection of falsification or fabrication of experimental data in a submitted manuscript, including image manipulation, is grounds for immediate rejection and may result in sanctions.

In cases of suspected violations of academic integrity or fraud, the editorial office conducts an investigation in accordance with COPE recommendations. If the investigation confirms substantiated concerns, the authors are notified by email and given the opportunity to provide explanations or resolve the issue. Depending on the nature of the violation, appropriate measures are applied. If the manuscript is under review, it may be rejected; if already published, further actions depend on the severity of the violation.

Corrections and Notices

• Correction: Issued alongside the article when significant errors affecting the scientific validity of results are identified (e.g., experimental inaccuracies or incorrect calculations).
• Erratum: Issued when a significant error occurred due to the editorial process (e.g., missed or incorrectly implemented author corrections). A significant error is one that affects the scientific content, integrity, or reputation of the authors or journal.
• Corrigendum: A notice of a significant error made by the authors. All corrections are approved by the editorial office.

Main Reasons for Retraction

• Plagiarism or unethical conduct (including fabrication, falsification, or fraudulent use of data);
• Clear evidence that results are unreliable, whether due to misconduct (e.g., fabricated data or image manipulation);
• Redundant/duplicate publication without proper cross-referencing or permission;
• Significant errors that distort scientific novelty or render conclusions unreliable;
• Authorship violations (incorrect attribution, lack of consent from co-authors);
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest or other ethical violations affecting evaluation or interpretation;
• Compromised peer review process;
• Incorrect identification information (e.g., errors in name, affiliation) is preventing proper indexing;
• Copyright or confidentiality violations, or use of materials without proper permission.

Retraction Procedure

1. Initiation

The procedure may be initiated by the Editor-in-Chief, an author, or a reader.

• Authors wishing to retract an article must submit an official letter explaining the reasons, signed by all authors.
• The editorial office may initiate retraction based on internal assessment or external information; in such cases, authors are notified with an explanation.

2. Review

The editorial office carefully examines each case in accordance with COPE recommendations. Complaints must be clear, well-argued, and supported by evidence.

3. Decision

The Editor-in-Chief or Deputy Editor-in-Chief decides whether retraction is warranted.

4. Retraction Implementation

• The article remains on the journal website but is clearly marked “RETRACTED” with the date indicated on each page or as a watermark;
• The title may be changed to “Retracted: [Article Title]”;
• A separate retraction notice is published with reasons and a DOI;
• Retraction information is shared with databases and indexing services.

In some cases, authors may withdraw the original flawed article and replace it with a corrected version. The retraction notice will then include a reference to the revised and republished article along with its document history.

Additional Provisions

Paper Mills and Systematic Manipulation

If a publication is identified as part of a group of articles compromised by so-called “paper mills” or other forms of systematic fraud, the editorial office may retract it as part of that body of work. The retraction notice will explicitly state this.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Undisclosed use of artificial intelligence systems for generating text, images, or other manuscript elements is considered a serious violation of academic integrity and may be grounds for retraction. Authors must ensure full transparency regarding such use. The editorial office reserves the right to screen manuscripts for AI-generated content using automated tools, expert review, and additional author inquiries if necessary.

Authorship Fraud and Identity Theft

Manuscripts may be retracted in cases of false authorship, unauthorized use of personal data (including names, ORCID, and other identifiers), or hidden/coerced authorship practices.

Expression of Concern

In cases where there are substantiated concerns but insufficient evidence for immediate retraction, the editorial office may publish an Expression of Concern. This notice receives a separate DOI, is linked to the article, and remains publicly available until the investigation is completed.

Timeliness

Decisions on corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions are made and implemented as quickly as possible after significant violations are confirmed. If coordination with authors is not possible, the editorial office reserves the right to proceed without delay to uphold academic integrity.

Availability of Retracted Articles

Retracted articles remain openly accessible in journal archives and databases with clear “Retracted” labeling. Full removal is permitted only in exceptional cases provided for by law (e.g., protection of personal data, compliance with copyright, enforcement of court decisions, or security considerations).