Procedure for dealing with breaches of copyright and publication ethics

Procedure for dealing with suspected breaches of copyright and publication ethics

The journal “Wychowanie w Rodzinie – Family Upbringing” follows procedures in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in cases of suspected copyright infringement, breaches of academic integrity and other unethical publishing practices. The aim of the procedure is to ensure transparency in the publishing process, to protect authors’ rights and to maintain high ethical standards in published works.

1. Scope of the procedure
The procedure applies in cases of suspected:
- plagiarism or self-plagiarism;
- infringement of copyright or intellectual property rights;
- ghostwriting or guest authorship;
- falsification, fabrication or manipulation of research results;
- failure to disclose a conflict of interest;
- unauthorised use of copyright-protected material;
- other breaches of publication ethics.

2. Reporting a breach
A suspected breach may be reported by an author, a reviewer, a member of the editorial team, a reader or any other interested party.
The report should include a description of the irregularities identified and, where possible, supporting documentation to enable their verification.

3. Verification of the submission
Upon receipt of a submission, the Editor-in-Chief carries out an initial assessment and, if necessary, initiates an investigation in collaboration with members of the editorial team or independent experts.
During the investigation, the editorial team may:
- ask the author to provide an explanation;
- carry out additional analysis using anti-plagiarism systems;
- verify documentation relating to the publication process;
- seek the opinions of reviewers or external experts.
Until the investigation is concluded, the editorial team may suspend processing of the submitted manuscript.

4. Resolution
Upon completion of the investigation, the Editor-in-Chief shall take a decision commensurate with the nature of the identified breaches.
In particular, the editorial board may:
- reject the submitted manuscript;
- require the author to rectify the identified irregularities;
- publish a correction or an erratum;
- publish an editorial statement of concern;
- retract a published article;
- inform the relevant academic institution or research funding body of the identified breaches;
- refuse to accept further submissions from the author in the event of a gross breach of publication ethics.

5. Principles governing the proceedings
The proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
- confidentiality;
- impartiality;
- integrity;
- respect for the rights of all parties;
- the presumption of good faith until the conclusion of the investigation.
All persons participating in the proceedings are obliged to maintain confidentiality.

6. Retraction of a publication
If a breach is confirmed after an article has been published, the editorial board shall take action in accordance with COPE’s recommendations, publishing – depending on the nature of the case – a correction, an editorial clarification or a notice of retraction, whilst ensuring transparency in the documentation of the publication process.

7. Final provisions
This procedure forms an integral part of the publication ethics policy of the journal ‘Wychowanie w Rodzinie – Family Upbringing’.

In matters not covered by this procedure, the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) shall apply, in particular the recommendations concerning the handling of suspected plagiarism, disputes over authorship, copyright infringement, conflicts of interest and the retraction of publications, as well as the applicable provisions of copyright and intellectual property law.
This procedure has been drawn up in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The editorial board applies the current guidelines and flowcharts (COPE Flowcharts) in cases of suspected breaches of publication ethics.