Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

This statement adheres to the principles outlined in COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors to ensure the integrity and quality of academic publications.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of papers in the Cigarskruie proceedings represents a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the humanities and social sciences. It reflects the quality and integrity of the authors' research and the institutions supporting them. Maintaining ethical standards in the publishing process is therefore essential for all parties involved.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required to present their research findings accurately and comprehensively. This entails a transparent and truthful account of the methodology, data, and results to ensure reproducibility and verification by the academic community. A balanced presentation of supportive and contradictory data is essential. If any errors or inaccuracies are identified post-submission or post-publication, authors must promptly inform the conference organizers and collaborate with the editorial team to issue corrections or retractions. Misrepresentation, fabrication, or falsification of data is considered unethical and is strictly prohibited.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original work that reflects their own research and intellectual contributions. Proper attribution to prior research through appropriate citation of ideas, data, and textual content is required. Plagiarism, including the unauthorized use or close imitation of another author’s work without proper acknowledgment, is a severe ethical violation. All submissions undergo plagiarism detection analysis, and any manuscript with a similarity index exceeding 20% (excluding references and properly cited quotations) will be returned for revision or rejected outright. Authors must carefully review their manuscripts before submission to ensure compliance with originality standards.

Multiple Submissions

Manuscripts submitted to Cigarskruie journal must not be concurrently under review elsewhere or previously published. Duplicate submissions are unethical and strictly prohibited.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be attributed only to individuals who have made significant contributions to the research. All listed co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and consent to its submission.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or substantive conflicts of interest that may influence their findings or interpretations. Additionally, all sources of financial support must be explicitly acknowledged.

Ethical Research Practices

If the research involves chemicals, procedures, or equipment with inherent hazards, these must be clearly identified in the manuscript. For research involving human or animal subjects, compliance with institutional and legal ethical guidelines is mandatory, and statements of ethics approval and informed consent must be included where applicable.

Declaration of AI Usage in Scientific Writing

This guideline pertains specifically to the writing process and excludes the use of AI tools for data analysis or interpretation. Authors employing generative artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tools for manuscript drafting must ensure that such tools are utilized solely to enhance textual clarity and fluency under human supervision. AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies, incomplete information, or biases; thus, rigorous human oversight is required. AI tools cannot be credited as authors, as authorship entails responsibilities that only humans can fulfill. Authors must disclose any AI usage in manuscript preparation in a dedicated section preceding the References list. The disclosure should confirm that authors have personally verified and assume full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the content.

Disclosure Instructions

Before the References section, authors must include a "Declaration of AI Usage in Writing" statement detailing any AI tool employed and its purpose. Example:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors utilized [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [SPECIFIC PURPOSE]. The authors reviewed and made necessary revisions to the content and assume full responsibility for its accuracy and integrity.

Standard grammar, spelling, or reference management tools are exempt from disclosure. If no AI tools were used, no statement is required.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers provide critical assessments that assist the editorial team in making publication decisions and help authors enhance their work through constructive feedback.

Timeliness: Reviewers must complete their evaluations within the stipulated time. If a reviewer is unable to meet the deadline or feels unqualified to review a manuscript, they must notify the editor immediately.

Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents. Unauthorized sharing or personal use of their content is prohibited without editorial authorization.

Objective and Fair Assessment: Reviews must be impartial and based solely on the academic merit of the work. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate; reviewers should provide constructive suggestions for manuscript improvement.

Identification of Sources: Reviewers must ensure that relevant prior research is properly cited. Any significant similarity or overlap with previously published work should be reported to the editor.

Participation in a Double-Anonymized Review Process: Cigarskruie journal follows a double-anonymized review process to maintain impartiality. Reviewers should refrain from attempting to identify the authors, and if their identity becomes known, it should not influence the review process.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including personal, financial, or professional relationships that could bias their evaluation. If a conflict exists, the reviewer should withdraw from the process.

Responsibilities of Editors

Publication Decisions: Section editors are responsible for final decisions on manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection based on thematic relevance, technical accuracy, clarity, and ethical compliance. If revisions are requested, the editor ensures that authors have addressed all feedback before final acceptance. If disputes arise between authors and reviewers, the editor may seek additional input or assign another reviewer for resolution.

Reviewer Selection and Oversight: Editors must assign manuscripts to reviewers based on subject-matter expertise. Reviewers should regularly update their professional profiles to ensure accurate matching. Editors must also verify that assigned reviewers do not have conflicts of interest.

Ethical Issue Resolution: The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) is the primary authority for addressing ethical concerns, appeals, and complaints. If the EiC has a conflict of interest, the matter should be directed to the Executive Editor. Ethical concerns may necessitate inquiries with authors' institutions, funding bodies, or external experts. The EiC determines appropriate actions, including corrections or retractions.

Corrections and Retractions: Editors oversee corrections and retractions when necessary. Minor typographical errors may be corrected without notice, whereas substantial errors warrant an editorial notice. In cases of ethical breaches or fundamental research flaws, retraction is mandated. Retracted articles remain accessible with a "RETRACTED" label and an explanatory statement. In cases requiring extensive editorial intervention, the conference may impose correction or retraction fees.

Publisher’s Responsibilities

Editorial Independence: The publisher of Cigarskruie ensures that commercial interests do not compromise editorial decision-making.

Ethical Oversight: The publisher collaborates with the editorial team to address ethical concerns, including plagiarism, conflicts of interest, and research misconduct, ensuring adherence to academic integrity standards.