Compliance with the principles and recommendations of COPE, WAME, DORA, ICMJE, Open Science, Plan S, FAIR Data

The journal "Bulletin of Uman National University" adheres to international standards of academic integrity, including recommendations COPE, WAME (World Association of Medical Editors), DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment) and principles Publishing Ethics Resource Kit (PERK) Elsevier publishing. We strive to ensure transparency, objectivity, and professional responsibility at all stages of the editorial process.

COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

Transparency in the process of submission, review and publication of articles.

Impartiality and independence of editors and reviewers.

Academic integrity – avoiding plagiarism, falsification, double publications.

Correct authorship – clearly identifying the contribution of each author.

Handling complaints – having open and clear procedures for considering appeals and complaints about ethics.

Withdrawal and correction of articles – a clear procedure for retraction, corrections and reporting errors.

WAME (World Association of Medical Editors, principles for editors of all sciences)

Editorial independence – editors’ decisions are made without pressure from sponsors, institutions or commercial interests.

Conflicts of interest – all authors, reviewers and editors are required to declare them.

Peer review – ensuring objective, fair and timely peer review.

Funding transparency – disclosing information about grants, sponsors and sources of research funding.

Supporting young scientists – promoting the publication of early-career researchers.

DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment)

Not limited to bibliometric indicators (impact factor, h-index), but evaluate research according to its quality, novelty and contribution to science.

Value different types of research results – software, data, algorithms, technical solutions, not just articles.

Recognition of interdisciplinary research as equivalent to classical publications.

Promotion of open science – publication of preprints, open access to data and codes.

ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors – general principles for all sciences)

Authorship criteria. Only those who have made a significant contribution to the work are considered authors.

Research ethics. Adherence to standards for data, human participants, and experiments.

Data openness. Encouraging authors to preserve and provide access to research data.

Other modern principles (Open Science, Plan S, FAIR Data)

Open Access – promoting open access to scientific results.

FAIR-principles for data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) – ensuring the ability to find, access, interoperability and reuse data.

Plan S – supporting the policy of publications in open journals and archives.

Ethical principles of editorial activity

The editorial board adheres to the following basic principles:

• scientific validity, impartiality and professionalism;
• respect for authors, reviewers, and readers;
• strict adherence to copyright regulations;
• ensuring high-quality double-blind peer review;
• advising authors on compliance with international standards for the design of articles.

Editorial decision-making process

The final decision on publication is made by the editor-in-chief or another member of the editorial board who has no conflict of interest based on the reviews, relevance of the topic, and scientific novelty of the article. Editors evaluate materials exclusively according to academic criteria - regardless of the gender, nationality, political or religious beliefs of the authors. Unpublished data are not used in the editors' own research without the written consent of the authors.

Confidentiality and impartiality

All materials submitted to the journal are treated as confidential documents. Information about the authors, content, or review process is not disclosed to third parties except those directly involved in the manuscript. Editors, reviewers, and consultants refrain from participating in the evaluation of articles if there is a conflict of interest (co-authorship, financial, or personal interest).

Responsibility of participants in the editorial process

Editorial board

• adheres to confidentiality, editorial ethics and impartiality;
• agrees changes with authors before publication;
• does not allow materials with plagiarism or without scientific value to be published;
• ensures the involvement of competent reviewers.

Reviewers

• evaluate manuscripts professionally, timely and objectively;
• do not disclose information about articles;
• do not use the obtained data for their own purposes;
• report possible violations of academic integrity or conflicts of interest.

Authors

• guarantee the originality, reliability and scientific novelty of the materials;
• properly cite the sources used;
• do not allow plagiarism, self- and auto-plagiarism, and duplication of publications;
• agree to the terms of publication of the article in electronic databases with preservation of copyright.

Authorship

The submission of the article confirms that all authors:

• had a significant role in the conception, collection, or analysis of the data;
• participated in writing or editing the text;
• approved the final version and bear joint responsibility for the content.

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship are mentioned in the "Acknowledgements" section.

If a significant error is discovered after publication, the author must notify the editors for correction or withdrawal of the article.

Ethical Standards for Research

Research involving human subjects

A manuscript containing the results of surveys and other research involving human subjects should include a statement that the work has been approved by the relevant ethics committees associated with the institution(s) where it was conducted. The participation of respondents should be voluntary and accompanied by a signed consent, including for the publication of the results. Confidentiality and avoidance of any form of discrimination or pressure are mandatory. The ethics of the research should always be substantiated and supported by references to relevant standards, including professional codes of ethics. The editorial board adheres to and encourages authors to adhere to the following international recommendations on the ethics of scientific research: American Sociological Association Code of Ethics (1997), International Code of Conduct for Market, Public and Social Research and Data Analysis ICC/ESOMAR (2016), European Commission Guidance on Ethics and Data Protection (2021).

When reporting research involving human subjects, authors should state that the research was conducted in accordance with the following standards. Approval from the local Institutional Review Board (IRB) or other appropriate ethics committee should be obtained before conducting the research to confirm that the research complies with national and international guidelines. All participants should be fully informed about whether anonymity is guaranteed, why the research is being conducted, how their data will be used, and whether there are any associated risks. Ethical approval from the appropriate ethics committee should be obtained before conducting the research. If ethical approval is not required, authors should either provide an exemption from the ethics committee or cite local or national legislation indicating that ethical approval is not required for this type of research.

Animal experiments

The editorial team adheres to standards ARRIVE та IACUC. Studies must have formal ethical approval, and the description of methods must explain compliance with animal welfare principles.

Plant research

Experimental studies of plants (both cultivated and wild), including the collection of plant material, should comply with institutional, national or international guidelines. We recommend that authors adhere to the Convention on Biological Diversity and CITES.

Open data and transparency

The journal supports the principles of open science, but the transfer of primary data is possible only upon formal request and with the permission of the authors. All requests for access to data are sent through the editorial office. In case of refusal by the authors, the editorial office informs the applicant, preserving their right to confidentiality.

Post-publication discussion

The journal supports an open discussion of publications on the PubPeer platform. Comments should be professional and scientifically sound. All reports of possible violations are considered in accordance with the ethical policy and the rules for retracting articles.

Funding and advertising policy

The journal does not publish advertising and has no commercial partnerships. Authors are required to declare all sources of funding: grants, institutional, government or private support. In the absence of funding, it should be noted: “The study did not receive financial support.”