The Faculty of Humanities at Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen complies with the accepted international standards for publication ethics. Editorial boards consider it their duty to comply with the rules laid down in the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The code of ethics applies to all participants in the publication process: authors and reviewers, editors and publishers.
Rights and obligations of authors
Authors of a publication of a scientific study are those who have made significant contributions to the writing of the article. All those who make significant contributions to the article should be identified as co-authors. Copyright infringement is unethical.
Authors should keep the primary data related to the article long enough, in case they are required for editorial review after the publication.
Any form of plagiarism is absolutely prohibited. Submitted materials must be original. If authors use parts of their own or works of others, they must be cited.
It is considered unethical to present the same article to more than one publisher at the same time. Authors should not submit identical research materials to more than one publisher. They declare that their research has not been published before in any form.
Authors should report conflicts of interest which may affect the final results of the research. It is unacceptable to publish or use part of the material without the prior consent of the other co-authors.
In case significant errors are detected in already published articles, the authors are obliged to immediately notify the Editorial Board and cooperate in withdrawing or correcting the edition.
Rights and Obligations of Reviewers
The work of reviewers is particularly significant for improving the quality of the papers submitted for publication. Reviews play a crucial role in the editorial board’s decisions.
Reviewers are obliged to notify the editor in cases when they are not qualified enough to review a paper, or are unable to review the manuscript in due time. In such cases, they must withdraw from the review process.
The principle of confidentiality is fundamental to the work of reviewers. The reviewer is obliged NOT to disclose or discuss the content of the manuscript with any person, except in cases when they have received the explicit permission of the editor.
Reviews must be based on the quality of the article. Reviewers are obliged to work impartially and competently, clearly and with sufficient arguments.
Reviewers are obliged to monitor the correct citation of data and sources. In the event of any violations (inaccuracies and omissions in the reference section, or duplications of parts of the material with an already published article), they must notify the editor.
Reviewers should withdraw when there is a conflict of interest based on professional, personal, financial, or other connections with the author.
Rights and Obligations of Editors
The Editorial Board decides which of the submitted papers are to be published in the next issue. Their decisions must be based on the criteria for the specific edition, and on the aims and scope of the volume. A guiding principle in publication is the significance of the research and the academic contribution to the scholarly field. The Editorial Board is obliged to notify the author of all weaknesses and inaccuracies, without the correction and removal of which the article cannot not be published.
The Editorial Board evaluates the manuscripts based on their scientific content, regardless of the authors’ gender, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, or political views.
Submissions can be discussed only with the author, reviewers, and publisher.
Editors must decline articles in which they have a conflict of interest based on competitive or collaborative relationships with any of the authors, sponsors, or institutions connected with the publication.
The Editorial Board is obliged to take measures upon receiving a report of unethical behavior, e.g., incorrect citation, plagiarism, data inaccuracies, and manipulation of results. Such measures include contacting the affected parties and institutions in order to establish the validity of the ethical violations. As a result, this may lead to the withdrawal of the manuscript or, if already printed, to the publication of the disclosed ethical violations.
Upon rejection of an article, the Editorial Board may recommend another publisher. Authors have the right to request a re-evaluation, but only if they present evidence of inaccuracies committed by the reviewers. In this case, a new expert committee may be formed for a final review.
Rights and Obligations of the Publishers
The Publisher does not participate in the Editorial Board’s decision process regarding the publication of individual articles.
The Publisher guarantees that advertising, reprints, or other commercial activities related to the publication will not influence the decisions of the Editorial Board.
