Procedure for Handling Complaints Regarding Violations of Academic Integrity and Publication Ethics

The Editorial Board of the journal Bulletin of Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University. Series: Political Science adheres to high standards of academic integrity in its activities. In the process of handling complaints, the Editorial Board follows the principles of transparency, objectivity, confidentiality, and compliance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The Editorial Board considers complaints related to:

  • plagiarism;
  • data falsification or fabrication;
  • duplicate or multiple publication;
  • inappropriate authorship (exclusion or inclusion of authors without consent);
  • violations of the peer review procedure;
  • the existence of undisclosed conflicts of interest;
  • unethical behavior on the part of authors, reviewers, or editors;
  • other justified concerns that, in the opinion of the Editorial Board, are of public significance.

A complaint must be submitted in writing to the official e-mail address of the editorial office. The submission should include:

  • a clear description of the nature of the complaint;
  • the names or identifying information of the individuals concerned;
  • specific evidence or references to relevant sources;
  • the contact details of the complainant (anonymous submissions may be considered if sufficient evidence is provided).

After receiving the complaint:

  • the Editor-in-Chief or an authorized member of the Editorial Board conducts a preliminary assessment within 10 working days;
  • if necessary, the complainant may be requested to provide additional information;
  • if the complaint is considered justified, an internal investigation is initiated.

The investigation is conducted by the Editorial Board, which may involve independent experts if necessary. The individuals concerned have the right to provide a written explanation. All parties have equal rights to be heard.

Depending on the results of the investigation, the following measures may be taken:

Individuals against whom a complaint has been filed have the right to submit reasoned objections or to appeal the decision of the editorial office. A repeated review is conducted with the involvement of independent experts who did not participate in the initial consideration. All complaints and the decisions made in response to them are documented and stored in the editorial archive. The accumulated materials may be used to improve the journal’s editorial policy and to prevent similar cases in the future.