Publication Ethics & Malpractice

The journal Nova škola is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. The journal follows the ethical guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and adheres to internationally recognized standards of scholarly publishing.

All parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—are expected to comply with these ethical principles.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required to:

  • submit original and unpublished work that is not under consideration elsewhere
  • ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data presented
  • properly acknowledge and cite all sources
  • avoid all forms of plagiarism and unethical conduct
  • disclose all sources of financial support
  • declare any potential conflicts of interest
  • ensure that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and have approved the final version

Authors must not:

  • submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously
  • fabricate, falsify, or manipulate data
  • engage in inappropriate authorship practices

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

  • provide objective, constructive, and unbiased evaluations
  • treat manuscripts as confidential documents
  • not use unpublished information for personal advantage
  • disclose any conflicts of interest
  • decline the review if they lack expertise or cannot meet deadlines

3. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • making publication decisions based solely on the scientific merit of manuscripts
  • ensuring a fair, unbiased, and transparent peer review process
  • preventing discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or institutional affiliation
  • maintaining confidentiality of all submitted materials
  • addressing ethical concerns and allegations of misconduct

4. Publication Malpractice

Publication malpractice includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism and self-plagiarism
  • data fabrication or falsification
  • duplicate or redundant publication
  • inappropriate authorship attribution
  • manipulation of the peer review process

5. Handling Allegations of Misconduct

The journal follows COPE guidelines when dealing with suspected misconduct.

The process includes:

  1. preliminary assessment by the editorial team
  2. collection and evaluation of evidence
  3. communication with the authors
  4. final editorial decision

Possible actions include:

  • rejection of the manuscript
  • publication of corrections
  • retraction of the article
  • notification of relevant institutions

6. Corrections and Retractions

The journal will issue:

  • corrections in cases of minor errors that do not affect the validity of the research
  • retractions in cases of serious ethical breaches or unreliable findings

All corrections and retractions will be clearly identified and linked to the original publication.

7. Conflict of Interest

All participants in the publication process must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence their objectivity.

8. Data Integrity and Transparency

Authors are required to:

  • ensure the accuracy and reliability of data
  • provide access to data when requested
  • comply with standards of research transparency

9. Ethical Oversight

The journal continuously monitors and improves its ethical policies in line with:

  • COPE guidelines
  • international publishing standards
  • evolving best practices in scholarly communication