Regulations on ethics

The Editorial Board of the scientific journal “Science and Science of Science” adheres in its work to international ethical standards of scientific publishing, which include principles of integrity, confidentiality, publication oversight, and prevention of potential conflicts of interest, among others.

The Editorial Office, in turn, follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including the Publishing Ethics Resource Kit by Elsevier, and relies on the experience of leading international publishers. Compliance with publication ethics by all participants in the publishing process ensures the protection of authors’ intellectual property rights, improves the quality of publications, and prevents the misuse of authors’ materials for the benefit of individuals.

This Regulation complies with the journal’s policy and is one of the key components of the peer-review process and publication workflow.
I. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors bear personal responsibility for the submitted manuscript and must adhere to the following principles:

• Provide reliable results of conducted research. Knowingly false, fraudulent, or falsified statements are considered unethical and unacceptable.
• Provide raw data upon request of the editorial board for review and ensure access to such data, storing it for a reasonable time after publication.
• Guarantee that the research results presented are original. Proper bibliographic references must be included when using others’ work. Excessive borrowing and plagiarism in any form are unethical and unacceptable.
• Acknowledge that authors bear primary responsibility for the novelty and reliability of the research results.
• Recognize the contributions of all individuals who influenced the research. Information obtained privately must not be used without written permission.
• Submit only original manuscripts. Simultaneous submission to other journals or previously published works is unacceptable.
• Ensure correct authorship. All contributors must be listed; others should be acknowledged appropriately.
• Inform the editorial office immediately if significant errors are identified and cooperate in correcting them.
• Clearly indicate if research involves hazardous materials or experiments on humans or animals, ensuring compliance with ethical standards and approvals.
• Disclose all sources of financial support, including grants and sponsorship.
• Declare any conflicts of interest that may affect the research outcomes.
  II. Ethical Principles for Reviewers

A reviewer conducts scientific evaluation of submitted materials to objectively assess their quality and compliance with standards:

• Provide constructive feedback to improve the manuscript and assist editorial decisions.
• Decline review if lacking expertise or time.
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts.
• Be objective and avoid personal criticism.
• Identify relevant published works not cited by the author.
• Report suspected plagiarism or data falsification.
• Avoid using information from manuscripts for personal benefit.
• Refrain from reviewing manuscripts in case of conflicts of interest.
  III. Ethical Principles of the Editorial Board

The editorial board and staff are responsible for publication decisions based on:

• Scientific validity and significance of the work.
• Absence of conflicts of interest.
• Compliance with legal and ethical standards, including prevention of plagiarism.
• Fair evaluation regardless of authors’ background or beliefs.
• Maintaining confidentiality of submitted materials.
• Not using unpublished data for personal purposes.
• Ensuring open access publication while preserving authors’ rights.
• Addressing complaints and correcting errors when necessary.
• Protecting the confidentiality of reviewers.
  IV. Ethical Principles of the Publisher

The publisher is responsible for:

• Supporting ethical practices among editors, reviewers, and authors.
• Assisting in resolving ethical issues and cooperating with other publishers.
• Ensuring the journal operates as a non-commercial project.
• Facilitating publication of corrections, clarifications, and retractions.
• Allowing withdrawal of publications containing plagiarism or unreliable data.