Ethical standards
THE EDITORS OF THE JOURNAL “GALICJA. STUDIA I MATERIAŁY” CONDUCT THEIR PUBLISHING ACTIVITY ON THE BASIS OF COPE STANDARDS (https://publicationethics.org)
Ethical Standards of the Journal Galicja. Studia i materiały.
Standards for Authors and Their Manuscripts
1. Authorship of the Work
The status of author(s) is granted only to individuals who have made a real and significant contribution to conducting the research, analyzing the results, and writing substantial parts of the text. The Editorial Board opposes any form of misconduct, including ghostwriting and guest authorship. According to the Editorial Board, individuals who only provided supervisory guidance, acted as consultants, or performed text corrections are not considered authors. In such cases, the Board recommends acknowledging them in the Acknowledgements section or elsewhere, specifying their role (e.g., “text correction”).
If any irregularities are detected, the Editorial Board reserves the right to investigate the matter, refrain from publishing the manuscript, and inform the authors’ supervisory bodies.
For original multi-author works, authors must specify their proportional contribution in a separate statement (Attachement 2). Authors are responsible for the content and form of the article, are obliged to disclose sources of funding, and to indicate the contribution of other entities.
2. Standards: Scholarly and Methodological Quality of the Work
The Editorial Board publishes only original scholarly works (with diverse characteristics), prepared in accordance with the principles of academic integrity, based on a solid documented source foundation. The Board opposes data fabrication and manipulation. In the event of such irregularities, the Board reserves the right to thoroughly investigate the matter and implement procedures in line with COPE standards. If an irregularity is discovered after publication, the Board commits to issuing a correction on the journal website under the article section, and in the next available printed volume.
Previously published works, submissions already submitted to other publishers, fragments or compilations of books, and any materials constituting “duplicate publication” will not be accepted for publication. If irregularities are detected during the editorial process, the Board will follow COPE procedures.
For works that involve source editions, the Editorial Board recommends using an appropriate publishing instruction, which should be cited in the text or footnotes. For extensive source materials of a monographic nature (including photographs) obtained from private individuals or non-academic institutions, authors are responsible for obtaining permission from the owners to use and edit these materials.
3. Plagiarism
All manuscripts submitted for publication are checked using an anti-plagiarism system. The Editorial Board safeguards copyright and scientific integrity and strongly condemns any practices resembling plagiarism. Articles suspected of plagiarism are carefully examined to determine the extent of the issue. If unacknowledged borrowings are detected, the Editorial Board contacts the author for clarification. In cases of complete plagiarism (or when it constitutes a substantial part of the work), the manuscript is rejected. The Editorial Board also reserves the right to inform the appropriate authorities.
4. Conflict of Interest
The acceptance of manuscripts and editorial work are based on neutrality and impartiality. Conflicts of interest, including potential professional, financial, or personal relationships, are identified and assessed to prevent bias. This procedure also applies to published reviews and review articles, to exclude cases where personal relationships rather than scholarly merit influence the evaluation.
5. Correction of Errors and Errata
If errors are detected, the Editorial Board publishes errata and posts corrections on the article page of the journal website. If the errors are significant, the Board reserves the right to retract the article. Authors are obliged to notify the Editorial Board if they themselves discover significant inaccuracies and to agree on corrective measures. The Editorial Board also allows the publication of scholarly responses or commentaries addressing specific articles.
Standards for Editorial Board Members
1. Professionalism
The Editorial Board is responsible for all stages of the editorial process, the quality of publications, and all published content. Decisions on acceptance are based primarily on scholarly rigor and the quality of submitted materials. Acceptance is determined by academic merit. The Editorial Board may reject or withdraw a manuscript or suggest substantial revisions. In all cases, the Board welcomes scholarly debate. Regarding ethical issues, Editorial Board members and reviewers follow COPE standards and maintain the confidentiality of the editorial process. Unethical behavior may result not only in manuscript withdrawal but also in notification of the relevant authorities, depending on the severity of the misconduct.
2. Conflicts of Interest and Publications by Editorial Board Members
The Editorial Board operates on principles of impartiality and the elimination of conflicts of interest.
Board members may not use submitted or unpublished content for purposes not agreed upon with the author or without the author’s written consent.
Board members may publish their own scholarly works in the journal; however, in such cases, they do not participate in the editorial process and remain anonymous to the reviewers.
Board members may also publish non-citable, non-peer-reviewed texts in the journal (e.g., reports on current events).
Standards for Reviewers
1. Conflict of Interest
If a conflict of interest between a reviewer and the author is identified, the Editorial Board will assign a different reviewer.
2. Professionalism
Reviews are conducted double-blind. Each manuscript is evaluated by two reviewers whose expertise aligns with the subject area of the submission. Reviewers influence the final content and the decision to publish. Reviewers must not share manuscripts with third parties unrelated to the editorial process. Reviews must be completed on time and in the required format (Attachment 5). If reviews are highly divergent, the Editorial Board may appoint a third reviewer, whose opinion will be decisive.
3. Objectivity
Reviewers must base their evaluation solely on scholarly and formal criteria. Reviews should be objective and focus on the manuscript itself, not on the author.
