Ethical Guidelines
Ethical Guidelines
In order to ensure high standards in publishing ethics, the Editorial Board apply principles of research integrity that include: honesty in all aspects of research; scrupulous care, thoroughness and excellence in research practice; transparency and open communication; care and respect for all participants in and subjects of research; accountability both for one’s own research integrity and that of others when behaviour falls short of our standards.
In addition to the general principles indicated, the following are specific guidelines for research integrity and ethics applicable to our journal's editors, authors, and reviewers.
With regard to all its publications, „Białostockie Archiwum Jezykowe” safeguards the observance of publishing standards and rules of publication ethics and prevents any practices contrary to the accepted standards. The Editorial Board treats the standards developed by the Elsevier, COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), along with the Scholar Code of Ethics of a as a point of reference for the purposes of this Code of Ethics and Conduct. The adopted standards are in line with the guidelines developed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
Anyone who believes that research published by „Białostockie Archiwum Jezykowe” has not been carried out in line with these publishing ethics should raise their concern with the relevant editor (Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku, e-mail: wydawnictwo@uwb.edu.pl) or Editorial Board (e-mail: baj@uwb.edu.pl). In accordance with COPE guidelines, the allegations will be thoroughly investigated and the authors will be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations and provide a reasonable explanation.
We do not tolerate plagiarism in any of our publications, and we reserve the right to check all submissions through appropriate plagiarism checking tools (e.g. antiplgiarism system CrossCheck). Submissions containing suspected plagiarism, in whole or part, will be rejected. If plagiarism is discovered postpublication, we will expose it and notify the relevant institution(s).
All cases of alleged or proven scientific misconduct, fraudulent publication or plagiarism, will be disclosed, and all appropriate measures will be taken, including the notification of appropriate bodies (institutions employing the author(s) of supervisory authorities).
Duties of the Authors
Originality and Plagiarism: Contributors should ensure that they have written and submit only entirely original works that have not already been published elsewhere. Submission of a manuscript concurrently to more than one journal is unacceptable. Any references to works and studies of other authors should be clearly indicated, accompanied by appropriate commentary and notes, and should be mentioned in the bibliography. Plagiarism or fabrication of data is not acceptable. The authors take responsibility for the legality and originality of their work.
Reporting standards: Authors reporting results of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussionof its significance. All sources and methods used to obtain and analyse data should be fully disclosed. Methods of analysis must be explained in detail, and referenced, if they are not in common use.
Authorship of the manuscript: Only persons who made significant contributions to the study meet the authorship criteria and should be listed as authors in the manuscript. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate coauthors are included in the author list and verify that all coauthors have agreed to publikation. Ghostwriting is considered a form of scientific misconduct. Ghost authors contribute substantially but are not acknowledged. The corresponding author bears responsibility for proper representation of contributors’ relationship to the research reported in the manuscript. Guest authorship is considered a form of scientific misconduct. Guest authors do not meet the criteria for authorship and are include authors who make no discernible contributions, but are listed to help increase the chances of publication. All persons who made substantial contributions to the work reported in the manuscript (such as technical help, writing and editing assistance, general support) but who do not meet the criteria for authorship must not be listed as an author, but should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgements" section after their written permission to be named as been obtained. If a manuscript has been written by several contributors, all contributors are obliged to disclose their contributions, indicating their contribution percentage and quality. All contributors should sign the Author’s Statement. Each detected case of academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism or ghost-writing will be exposed and the relevant institution(s) will be notified.
Fundamental errors in published works: when the discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal’s editor or publisher and cooperate with them in order to either retract the paper or to publish an appropriate erratum.
Funding: The funding sources of research whose results are presented in the manuscript should be fully acknowledged, and any potential conflicts of interest disclosed.
Reliability of sources: Each manuscript submitted for publication should have a complete and accurate list of references in order to appropriately acknowledge the intellectual property of other persons referenced in the manuscript.
Disclosure and conflicts of interest: All authors should disclose in their manuscript any personal, commercial, political, academic or financial conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or their interpretation in the manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.
Duties of the Editorial Board
Independence: The Editorial Board is committed to editorial independence, and strive to prevent this principle from being compromised through competing interests, fear, or any other business, financial or political influence. The submitted works are accepted for publication in „Białostockie Archiwum Jezykowe” based only on the paper’s importance, originality, and clarity, and the study’s relevance to the remit of the journal. A manuscript is judged on its merits without to regard to the race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, and disability author(s).
Accountability: The Editorial Board is responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal will be published, based on the validation of the work in question, its importance to researchers and readers, originality and clarity of presented research, and consistency with the substantive and thematic scope of the journal. The Editorial Board maintain the integrity of the academic record, preclude business needs from compromising intellectual and ethical standards, and always be willing to publish corrections, clarifications, retractions and apologies when needed.Proposals submitted for journal are initially reviewed by inhouse editors, who may also consult Advisory Board. If the proposal is suitable for consideration by Editorial Team, the proposal, along with sample content, will be sent to a minimum of two external and independent peer reviewers. The Editor-in-chief ensures that all submitted manuscripts being considered for publication undergo peer-review by competent reviewers who are expert in the field and who are qualified to promptly and objectively review the research reported in the manuscript.
Scientific integrity: The members of the Editorial Team are commited to guard the integrity of the published record by issuing corrections and retractions when needed and pursuing suspected or alleged research and publication misconduct (plagiarism, falsification of research results). An editor should take reasonably responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper. If necessary, the editors are always ready to publish a correction, an explanation or an apology.
Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff will not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate, at any stage of the publishing process.
Disclosure and conflicts of interest: When a published paper is subsequently found to contain major flaws, editors accept responsibility for correcting the record prominently and promptly. The Editorial Team guids by COPE’s Guidelines for retracting Articles when considering retracting, issuing expressions of concern about, and issuing corrections pertaining to articles that have been published. Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. The Editorial Board is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprint or other commercial revenue has no impact or influence on editorial decisions.
Transparency and open communication: In order to ensure free exchange of ideas, the Editorial Board may publish polemical papers and critical responses from readers.
Duties of the Reviewers
Contribution to editorial decisions: Reviewers assist the Editor-in-chief in the process of making final decisions concerning the publication of articles submitted to the journal.
Scientific integrity: The Reviewers must be expert in the field and qualified to promptly and objectively review the research reported in the manuscript. A review must be fair, unbiased and reliable.
Standards of objectivity: The reviewers should refrain from any personal criticism and provide reasonable arguments in support of their opinion.
Confidentiality: Any manuscripts received for review are confidential documents and must be treated as such; they must not be shown to or discussed with others.
Promptness: Reviewers are obliged to deliver their reviews within the established deadline. The reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its timely review will be impossible should immediately notify the editor so that alternative reviewers can be contacted.
Originality and Plagiarism: Reviewers should notify the Editor-in-chief of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other manuscript of which they have personal knowledge.
Disclosure and conflict of interest: Any reviewer who has conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies or institutions connected to the manuscript and the work described therein should immediately notify the Editor-in-chief to declare their conflicts of interest and decline the invitation to review.
Duties of the Publisher
The publisher must inform COPE of any breach of publishing ethics. The publisher shall provide the editorial board with all substantive comments regarding the journal, its editorial board, and the publisher himself.
