Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement
At Uirtus, we are deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, publication ethics, and best practices in scholarly publishing. In line with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), this statement outlines the responsibilities and policies applicable to all parties involved in the publication process—including authors, editors, and peer reviewers.
1.Editorial Integrity
Uirtus guarantees editorial independence, fairness, and rigor. All decisions are based solely on the scholarly quality, originality, and relevance of a submission, regardless of an author’s race, gender, religion, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.
2.Peer Review Process
All submitted manuscripts undergo a double‑blind peer review. Our reviewers:
- Evaluate submissions objectively, constructively, and impartially.
- Maintain strict confidentiality throughout the review process.
- Declare any potential conflicts of interest.
- Provide respectful and timely assessments.
3.Author Responsibilities
Authors submitting to Uirtus must:
- Ensure that their work is original and not submitted elsewhere.
- Properly cite all sources, including data and direct quotations.
- Acknowledge all contributors and obtain permission for any third‑party material.
- Disclose any potential financial or personal conflicts of interest.
- List only those who have made significant contributions as authors.
4.Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct
Uirtus maintains a zero‑tolerance policy for plagiarism and research misconduct, including:
- Plagiarism and self‑plagiarism.
- Data fabrication or falsification.
- Improper attribution or misrepresentation of contributions.
All submissions are screened with plagiarism detection tools. In instances of confirmed misconduct:
- The manuscript will be rejected.
- If already published, the article will be retracted.
- The author may be banned from future submissions.
5.Retraction Policy
Retraction applies when:
- There is evidence of serious errors that invalidate results/conclusions.
- The article is found to have been published elsewhere (redundant publication).
- The article contains plagiarism, data fabrication, or other serious ethical breaches.
Retraction Process:
- Requests may be submitted by authors, editors, or readers.
- The Editorial Board evaluates requests thoroughly.
- Retraction notices clearly state reasons and link to the original article.
- Retracted articles remain online, clearly marked as “Retracted,” preserving the scholarly record.
6.Corrections and Errata Policy
We are committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record:
- Minor errors (e.g., typos, formatting) are corrected online and marked with a date.
- Substantive errors affecting results, interpretation, or conclusions require a formal Correction Notice or Erratum linked to the original article.
- In rare instances where an error compromises the article’s validity, a Retraction or Expression of Concern will be issued.
7.Confidentiality
All manuscripts and associated correspondence are treated as confidential documents. Editors, reviewers, and staff must not share, discuss, or utilize any part of a submission unless it is published, or unless expressly authorized by the authors.
7.Conflicts of Interest Policy
All participants in the review and publication process must:
- Disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest (personal, financial, institutional, or otherwise).
- Reviewers must recuse themselves if a conflict exists.
- Editors must manage and mitigate any conflicts by assigning neutral reviewers when required.
9.Respect and Professionalism
All members of the Uirtus community (authors, editors, reviewers, staff) must adhere to the highest standards of professionalism, mutual respect, and integrity. Discriminatory, harassing, or abusive behavior will not be tolerated and may result in exclusion from the journal’s activities.
10.Transparency and Open Access
- As an open-access journal, Uirtus ensures:
- All published content is freely available to the global academic community.
- Clear communication of licensing terms and usage rights.
- Transparent policies on publication fees and funding.
- Authors retain copyright under a Creative Commons license unless stated otherwise.
11.Ethical Oversight
Uirtus exercises rigorous ethical oversight throughout the publication process. All concerns related to published or submitted work are thoroughly and confidentially investigated in line with COPE guidelines. If confirmed, appropriate corrective measures, including retraction, will be taken.
Contact Information
For inquiries or to report concerns related to publication ethics, corrections, or potential misconduct, please contact the Editorial Team at: