Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The following text sets out the ethical standards expected of all parties involved in publishing articles in journals of Solen, s.r.o.: the author, editor, editorial board, reviewer, and publisher. These guidelines are based on Elsevier’s existing policies and on the document Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Duties of the Publisher and the Editorial Board

Decision on publication

The journal editor is responsible for deciding which of the manuscripts submitted to the journal will be published. The final decision on publication of selected articles is made by the editorial board on the basis of independent, double-blind peer-review reports. The editor is guided by the editorial board’s policies and by applicable legal requirements, particularly those relating to defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The editor may consult the editorial board or reviewers when making decisions.

Fair play

The editor evaluates manuscripts based on their intellectual content, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political/philosophical views.

Confidentiality

The editor and any other member of the editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher.

Duties of Reviewers

Peer review

Double-blind peer review contributes to improving the scientific quality of articles and assists the editor in making decisions about whether an article should be accepted for publication.

Reviewer competence

A reviewer who feels unqualified to review a manuscript, or who knows that a prompt review will be impossible, should inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.

Confidentiality

Any manuscript received for review must be treated as a confidential document. It must not be shown to or discussed with others who are not involved in the review.

Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly and support them with arguments.

Disclosure and conflicts of interest

Information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and must not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the manuscript.

Duties of Authors

Article standards

Each article must contain sufficient detail and references to allow readers to replicate the data. A research-based article must provide an accurate account of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. Clinical research papers may be published only if the procedures used comply with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and have been approved by the relevant ethics committee. The same requirements apply to work based on animal experiments. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

Originality and plagiarism

Only original works that have not previously been published or submitted for publication to another journal are accepted. If an author uses the work or words of another author, they must be properly cited. If previously published images are reproduced, the original source must be stated and written permission from the holder of the exclusive rights must be provided. Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.

Multiple, redundant, or concurrent publication

In general, an author should not publish a manuscript describing the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.

Acknowledgement of sources

Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work. Information obtained privately (e.g., in conversation, correspondence, or discussions with third parties) must not be used or disclosed without explicit written permission from the source.

Authorship of the paper

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study or article. All those who have made such contributions should be listed as co-authors. Those who contributed to specific important aspects of the project (research/study/article) should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author ensures that all appropriate co-authors are included and that all co-authors have approved the final version and agreed to its submission for publication.

Conflicts of interest

Authors must disclose in their manuscript any financial or other significant conflicts of interest that could be interpreted as influencing the results or interpretation of the work. All sources of financial support must be disclosed.

Fundamental errors in published works

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate in retracting or correcting the article.