This procedure regulates the procedure for submitting, processing and resolving appeals related to possible violations of the principles of academic integrity and publication ethics in the activities of the Journal. Its application is aimed at ensuring objective, transparent, confidential and fair consideration of all appeals.

Persons entitled to file complaints

A complaint may be initiated by:

• authors of scientific works;
• reviewers;
• representatives of the editorial board;
• scientific institutions and organizations;
• other persons who have revealed signs of violation of ethical standards.

Grounds for filing

Complaints may be filed in the event of:

• establishment of facts of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication or distortion of research results;
• violation of copyright or incorrect determination of authorship;
• failure to comply with the principles of impartiality or confidentiality during review;
• hidden conflict of interest;
• violation of editorial ethics or manifestations of discrimination;
• other cases of non-compliance with the norms of academic integrity.

Filing a complaint

The appeal is submitted to the editorial office of the Journal in writing to the email address univerms@ukr.net

The complaint must clearly state the essence of the violation, provide arguments and, if possible, supporting materials or references.

Anonymous appeals can be considered only if there are sufficient grounds to verify the information provided.

Procedure for considering complaints

The editorial office carries out an initial assessment of the complaint within the established period (usually up to 10 working days).

If necessary, a special commission is created or independent experts are involved.

A comprehensive verification of the circumstances is carried out, involving explanations from all parties to whom the complaint applies.

Participants in the process have the right to submit additional materials and reasoned explanations.

The review is carried out in compliance with the principles of impartiality, equality of parties and confidentiality.

Review terms

The total period for reviewing an appeal, as a rule, does not exceed 30 calendar days, except for cases requiring additional study.

Decision-making

The following decisions may be made based on the results of the review:

• rejection of the complaint in the absence of violations;
• recommendation for amendments or corrections;
• refusal to publish or withdrawal of already published material;
• publication of information about the identified violations;
• informing relevant institutions;
• application of other measures in accordance with the editorial policy.

Notification of the parties

The person who filed the complaint, as well as other interested participants, receive information about the results of its consideration, taking into account confidentiality requirements.

Confidentiality and protection of participants

The editorial office guarantees the non-disclosure of information related to the consideration of complaints.

Any pressure or persecution of persons who have reported a violation in good faith is prohibited.

The rights and interests of all parties are ensured.

Review of the decision

In case of disagreement with the decision, the parties have the right to initiate its reconsideration by submitting a reasoned appeal.

The journal is constantly improving the mechanisms for considering complaints in accordance with international standards of publication ethics and practices for ensuring academic integrity.