Retraction and Complaints
The Journal ensures a consistent and transparent approach to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record, addressing breaches of academic integrity, and handling complaints in accordance with Ukrainian law and internationally recognized publishing standards, and guided by the principles of proportionality and the presumption of good faith of participants in the editorial process.
.Legal and Ethical Framework
The Journal’s procedures on retraction and complaints are informed by the Law of Ukraine “On Academic Integrity”, as well as the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics and the European Association of Science Editors, and reflect established international best practices in scholarly publishing.
Retraction
Retraction is applied where a published article contains significant violations or deficiencies that render it unreliable as a scholarly source.
Such cases may include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data, substantial errors affecting the results of the research, undisclosed or unethical use of AI-generated content, violations of authorship rules, duplicate publication without proper disclosure, or other serious breaches of academic integrity.
The use of artificial intelligence tools as such does not constitute grounds for retraction, provided that such use has been properly disclosed and has not resulted in a breach of academic integrity.
Decisions on retraction are made by the editorial board based on a thorough assessment of the case and, where appropriate, with the involvement of independent experts, taking into account the author’s right to explain.
Retracted articles are not removed from the Journal’s website. Instead, they are clearly marked as retracted, with a statement explaining the reasons for retraction. This ensures transparency and preserves the integrity of the scholarly record.
Retraction notices include the date, reasons for retraction, and the party initiating the decision.
Retracted publications are not considered valid outputs for academic evaluation.
Corrections and Clarifications
Where identified errors do not affect the main findings of the research, the Journal may publish corrections, errata, or author clarifications.
Such updates are issued transparently and are linked to the original publication to ensure traceability and integrity of the record.
Where there are well-founded concerns about the reliability of a publication but the investigation is ongoing, the Journal may issue an expression of concern.
Submission and Handling of Complaints
The Journal considers complaints relating to breaches of academic integrity, the peer review process, editorial decisions, conflicts of interest, and other aspects of editorial practice.
Complaints must be submitted in writing and should include verifiable factual information. Anonymous or unsubstantiated complaints may be disregarded.
Complaints must not be used as a means of exerting pressure on authors, reviewers, or the editorial team.
The editorial office conducts an initial assessment of each complaint, may request explanations from the parties involved, and, where necessary, may involve independent experts.
All complaints are handled in accordance with the principles of fairness, confidentiality, objectivity, and absence of conflicts of interest.
The Journal does not rely solely on automated indicators or technical tools in assessing potential breaches and considers all relevant circumstances of the case.
The person against whom a complaint is made has the right to be informed of its substance and to provide a response.
Outcomes
Following the review of a complaint, the editorial board makes a decision based on the circumstances of the case. Depending on its nature, this may include dismissal of the complaint, publication of a correction, amendment of the article, retraction, or other measures provided for in the Journal’s editorial policies.
