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Publishing Principles and Transparency

I. Handling Complaints and Appeals:

  1. Submission of Complaints and Appeals:
  • Authors, reviewers, or readers can submit complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions, publication ethics, or other journal-related issues.
  • Complaints should be submitted in writing to the journal’s editorial office via the provided contact email.
  1. Acknowledgement of Receipt:
  • Upon receiving a complaint or appeal, the journal will acknowledge its receipt within five business days.
  • The complainant will be informed about the expected time frame for resolving the issue.
  1. Initial Assessment:
  • The editorial team will conduct an initial assessment to determine the nature and seriousness of the complaint.
  • For issues related to specific manuscripts or decisions, the matter may be reviewed by the handling editor, editor-in-chief, or a designated complaints committee.
  1. Investigation and Review:
  • The journal will conduct a thorough investigation into the complaint, which may involve consulting with the authors, reviewers, or other relevant parties.
  • The complainant will be kept informed of the progress and any additional information or clarification required.
  1. Resolution and Decision:
  • After completing the investigation, the journal will make a decision and communicate it to the complainant.
  • Possible outcomes may include upholding the original decision, revising the decision, or taking corrective actions if any misconduct is identified.
  1. Appeals Process:
  • If the complainant is not satisfied with the resolution, they may submit an appeal.
  • Appeals will be reviewed by a the editorial board members or an independent panel not involved in the original decision.
  • The final decision on the appeal will be communicated to the complainant within 30 days.
  1. Confidentiality and Anonymity:
  • The journal ensures that all complaints and appeals are handled confidentially.
  • The identity of the complainant will be protected to the extent possible, and the details of the complaint will not be disclosed to unnecessary parties.
  1. Policy on Retaliation:
  • The journal strictly prohibits any form of retaliation against individuals who submit complaints or appeals in good faith.
  1. Documentation and Record-Keeping:
  • All complaints and appeals, along with their outcomes, will be documented and kept on record for future reference and policy improvement.

 

II. Journal policies on data sharing and reproducibility

II.1. Data Sharing Policies:

  1. Mandatory Data Availability:
  • Authors are required to make all data supporting their findings available to other researchers upon request. This data must be deposited in a publicly accessible repository or included as supplementary material with the manuscript submission.
  1. Data Repository Recommendations:
  • The journal recommends using recognized data repositories that ensure data integrity, preservation, and accessibility.
  1. Data Citation:
  • Authors must properly cite any datasets used in their research.
  1. Data Transparency:
  • Authors must provide a data availability statement in their manuscript, detailing where and how the data can be accessed. If data cannot be shared due to privacy or ethical concerns, authors must explain these restrictions clearly.
  1. Ethical Considerations:
  • When sharing data, authors must ensure that they comply with ethical guidelines, including patient confidentiality and consent. Data involving human subjects must be anonymized to protect participant identity.

 

II.2. Reproducibility Policies:

  1. Methodological Transparency:
  • Authors must provide comprehensive details of their methods to allow other researchers to replicate the study. This includes descriptions of experimental procedures, protocols, and analytical techniques.
  1. Code and Software Sharing:
  • Any custom code or software used in the analysis must be shared either through a public repository or as supplementary material. Authors should provide sufficient documentation to facilitate its use by others.
  1. Replication Studies:
  • The journal encourages the submission of replication studies. Such studies must be clearly labeled as replication work and will undergo the same rigorous peer-review process as original research.
  1. Negative Results:
  • The journal supports the publication of negative results to promote transparency and reduce publication bias. Studies reporting negative findings must include thorough methodology and analysis to ensure their validity.
  1. Peer Review and Reproducibility Checks:
  • During the peer review process, reviewers may be asked to check the reproducibility of the methods and analyses presented in the manuscript. Authors may be required to provide additional data or methodological details if needed.
  1. Open Access and Supplementary Material:
  • The journal promotes open access to supplementary material, including datasets, protocols, and software, to enhance reproducibility. Supplementary files should be submitted along with the manuscript and will be made available to readers upon publication.

 

III. Journal’s Policy on Intellectual Property

III.1. Ownership and Copyright:

  1. Author Ownership:
  • Authors retain the copyright of their work. Upon acceptance, authors grant the journal a license to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher.
  1. Licensing:
  • The journal typically requires authors to sign a license agreement that specifies the terms of use. This may include a Creative Commons license that allows others to share and adapt the work, provided the original authors and source are credited.
  1. Originality and Plagiarism:
  • Authors must ensure that their submissions are original works and do not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others. The journal employs plagiarism detection software to verify the originality of submitted manuscripts.

 

III.2. Use of Published Material:

  1. Author Rights:
  • Authors have the right to use their published articles in their own future works, including theses, books, and academic lectures, without seeking permission from the journal, provided proper acknowledgment of the original publication is made.
  1. Third-Party Requests:
  • Requests to reuse or reproduce the article (in part or whole) by third parties must be directed to the journal. The journal may grant permission with the condition that proper citation is maintained.
  1. Institutional Repositories:
  • Authors are encouraged to deposit the published version of their article in institutional repositories or on their personal websites, subject to the journal’s open access policies and licensing agreements.

 

III.3. Preprints and Postprints:

  1. Preprint Policy:
  • The journal allows the posting of preprints (versions of the manuscript before peer review) on recognized preprint servers. Authors should disclose any preprint posting upon submission.
  1. Postprint Policy:
  • Authors may share the accepted manuscript (postprint) on personal or institutional repositories. However, the final published version should link back to the journal’s version of record.

 

III.4. Intellectual Property Infringement:

  1. Infringement Complaints:
  • The journal takes allegations of intellectual property infringement seriously. Complaints regarding potential infringement should be submitted in writing to the journal’s editorial office for investigation.
  1. Corrective Actions:
  • If infringement is confirmed, the journal will take appropriate actions, which may include retraction of the article, issuance of a correction, or legal action if necessary.

 

III.5. Ethical Use of Third-Party Material:

  1. Permissions:
  • Authors must obtain necessary permissions for the use of third-party material (e.g., figures, tables, and text excerpts) in their articles. Such material should be appropriately credited.
  1. Fair Use:
  • Authors are encouraged to adhere to fair use principles and ensure that any third-party material used does not exceed what is reasonably necessary for the purposes of the article.

 

III.6. Commercial Use:

  1. Commercial Exploitation:
  • Any commercial use of the article (beyond academic and educational purposes) by third parties requires permission from the journal. This includes, but is not limited to, reproduction in commercial books, course packs, or other commercial products.

 

IV. Journal’s Options for Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

Due to the publishing agreement, the journal does not permit post-publication discussions or corrections. Below are the policies that outline the limitations and procedures related to this restriction:

  1. Post-Publication Comments:
  • The journal does not allow for any public comments, discussions, or forums related to the articles after publication. This is in compliance with the publisher’s agreement to maintain the integrity of the published content.
  1. Corrections and Retractions:
  • In accordance with the publisher’s policy, corrections or retractions to the published articles are not permitted. Authors are advised to ensure the accuracy and completeness of their submissions before publication.
  1. Erratum or Addendum:
  • The journal does not publish errata or addenda to address errors or omissions found post-publication. Authors should take extra care during the manuscript preparation and review process to avoid the need for post-publication changes.
  1. Author Responsibilities:
  • Authors are responsible for thoroughly reviewing their manuscripts during the pre-publication phase. This includes ensuring the accuracy of data, clarity of expression, and adherence to ethical guidelines.
  1. Publisher’s Stance:
  • The publisher maintains a strict policy against post-publication modifications to uphold the finality and reliability of the published record. This policy is in place to ensure that the content remains consistent and verifiable.
  1. Dispute Resolution:
  • In case of disputes or issues related to the published content, authors and readers are encouraged to directly contact the journal’s editorial office. However, the journal is limited in its ability to make changes due to the publisher’s agreement.
  1. Pre-Publication Review:
  • Given the inability to make post-publication corrections, the journal emphasizes a rigorous pre-publication review process. Authors and reviewers are urged to meticulously check all aspects of the manuscript to prevent post-publication issues.

 

V. Copyright and Licensing Information

  1. Copyright Policy:
  • The journal’s website provides a comprehensive and clear statement regarding its copyright policies. Authors can find detailed information about copyright ownership and the responsibilities associated with it in the Author Guidelines section.
  • Each published article will clearly indicate the copyright holder, ensuring transparency and adherence to legal standards.
  1. Licensing Information:
  • Detailed guidelines on licensing are available on the journal’s website. Authors can access this information to understand the terms under which their work will be published and distributed.
  • All published articles, both in HTML and PDF formats, will include specific licensing terms to ensure that readers and users are aware of the legal use of the content.
  1. Creative Commons Licensing:
  • If the journal allows authors to publish under a Creative Commons license, any specific requirements or restrictions associated with the chosen license will be clearly noted.
  • Authors will be provided with clear instructions on how to select and apply a Creative Commons license, ensuring that their rights and the rights of users are clearly defined and protected.

 

VI. No Fees Policy:

  1. No Fees or Charges Required:
  • We are pleased to inform potential authors that there are no fees or charges required for manuscript processing or publishing materials in this journal.
  • This policy ensures that all researchers, regardless of financial resources, have the opportunity to publish their work without the burden of additional costs.
  1. Communication Prior to Submission:
  • In the event of any updates or changes to the fee policy, authors will be clearly informed before they begin the manuscript preparation process. This ensures that authors have complete clarity on any financial obligations well in advance of submission.

 

VII. Archiving – Electronic Backup and Preservation Plan:

  1. Commitment to Long-Term Access:
  • The journal is dedicated to ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of its content. In the event that the journal ceases publication, we have established robust electronic backup and preservation plans.
  1. Archival Systems:
  • The journal’s content will be archived through reputable digital preservation services, such as CLOCKSS (Controlled LOCKSS) and PubMedCentral. These systems are designed to provide reliable and secure long-term storage, ensuring that our articles remain accessible to the scholarly community.
  1. Details of Archiving Arrangements:
  • CLOCKSS: By partnering with CLOCKSS, the journal ensures that its content is preserved in a distributed network of library-based archives. This arrangement guarantees that the articles will be available even if the journal itself is no longer published.
  • PubMedCentral: Articles are also deposited in PubMedCentral, a free digital repository of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. This ensures that our content is widely accessible and preserved in a trusted repository.
  1. Transparency and Author Assurance:
  • The journal’s archiving and preservation policies are clearly indicated on the journal’s website. This information is easily accessible to authors and readers, providing assurance that the journal content will remain available and secure for future reference.
  • Authors are informed about these archiving plans during the submission process, ensuring transparency and peace of mind regarding the long-term availability of their published work.

 

VIII. Ownership Information

  1. Transparency in Ownership:
  • The ownership and management of the journal are clearly indicated on the journal’s website to ensure transparency and trust. The journal is owned by the University of Warsaw, Poland.
  1. Accurate Representation:
  • The journal strictly avoids using any organizational names or descriptors that could mislead potential authors, editors, or readers about the true nature of the journal’s ownership. All information provided about the ownership is accurate and straightforward.

 

IX. Revenue Sources

  1. No Revenue:
  • The journal is purely scientific and non-commercial. Therefore, it does not generate any revenue.
  1. No Advertisements:
  • The journal does not feature any advertisements. This policy is clearly stated on the journal’s website, ensuring that potential authors and readers are aware that the journal maintains its operations without ad revenue.
  1. No Direct Marketing:
  • The journal does not engage in any direct marketing activities. This includes the solicitation of manuscripts or other promotional activities conducted on behalf of the journal.