Publication Ethics and Editorial Policy of the Journal
Publication Ethics
General Provisions
The journal “Advances in Cyber-Physical Systems” adheres to high standards of publication ethics and follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), as well as the principles of the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) and the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).
The Editorial Board takes all necessary measures to prevent any forms of academic misconduct and research malpractice.
Duties of the Editor-in-Chief
- The Editor-in-Chief evaluates manuscripts without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political views. Decisions are based on the significance, originality, clarity of the manuscript, as well as the reliability of the research and its relevance to the journal’s scope.
- The editorial policy is based on the principles of transparency and best publishing practices in the evaluation of submitted manuscripts, expecting authors to follow the same standards. The Editor-in-Chief uses a standard electronic submission system for all journal communications.
- The Editor-in-Chief ensures that all submitted manuscripts considered for publication undergo peer review by at least two experts in the relevant field. The final decision regarding publication is based on the scientific validity of the work, its importance for researchers and readers, reviewers’ comments, and applicable legal requirements concerning defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The Editor-in-Chief may consult reviewers when making decisions.
- The Editor-in-Chief guarantees the confidentiality of all submitted materials and all communications with reviewers, unless otherwise agreed with the relevant authors and reviewers. In exceptional cases, and in agreement with the publisher, limited information may be shared with other journals if required for investigating suspected research misconduct.
- Unpublished materials contained in submitted manuscripts must not be used by the Editor-in-Chief or members of the Editorial Board for personal research purposes without the written consent of the author.
- The Editor-in-Chief (together with the publisher and/or society) takes appropriate actions in cases of ethical concerns related to submitted or published manuscripts. Every report of unethical publishing behavior is investigated, even if identified years after publication. If ethical issues are confirmed, the journal will publish corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, or other relevant notices.
Duties of Reviewers
- Peer review must be objective. Reviewers should be aware of potential personal bias and consider it during manuscript evaluation. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate; reviews must be supported by clear and constructive arguments.
- Reviewers assess methodological validity, research design, and compliance with ethical standards. They also identify potential plagiarism or unethical research practices. When necessary, they may recommend revisions or resubmission, or reject the manuscript for justified reasons.
- Reviewers must disclose any conflict of interest before accepting a review assignment, including competitive, collaborative, or institutional relationships with authors or affiliated organizations.
- Any suggestion to cite the reviewer’s own work must be based on genuine scientific relevance, not on the intent to increase citation metrics or visibility.
- Reviewers provide recommendations to the Editor-in-Chief regarding acceptance or rejection of manuscripts.
- All manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share or discuss them with third parties or contact authors directly without permission from the Editor-in-Chief.
Responsibilities of Authors
- Authors are required to participate in the peer review process.
- Authors of original research must provide an accurate description of the work performed and an objective discussion of its significance. The manuscript must include sufficient detail and references to allow replication of the study. Fabrication or falsification of data constitutes unethical behavior and is unacceptable.
- Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original. Any use of others’ work or ideas must be properly cited, and necessary permissions must be obtained.
- Duplicate or redundant publication of essentially the same research in more than one journal is considered unethical. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is also unacceptable.
- Proper acknowledgment of previous research is required. All sources influencing the study must be cited appropriately. Privately obtained information (e.g., conversations, correspondence, or discussions) cannot be used without written permission from the source.
- Plagiarism in any form—including copying, paraphrasing without attribution, or presenting others’ results as one’s own—is strictly prohibited.
- Authorship should be limited to individuals who made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All contributors meeting these criteria must be listed as co-authors.
- All funding sources must be disclosed, along with the role of sponsors in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and publication decisions. If funders had no such involvement, this must be explicitly stated.
- If authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they must immediately inform the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions if necessary.
Open Access Policy
- The journal implements an immediate open access policy, ensuring free availability of published content. This supports the global dissemination of scientific knowledge and promotes open scientific communication for the benefit of society.
Editorial Policy
The journal “Advances in Cyber-Physical Systems” is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal publishing original research in computer systems, networks, information technologies, and related fields.
The journal adheres to high ethical publishing standards and follows the recommendations of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and also takes into account the principles of World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) and San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).COPE, WAME, and DORA.
The Editorial Board ensures publication quality through independent peer review and strict adherence to academic integrity principles.
Peer Review Process
All submitted manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review by at least two independent reviewers.
Reviewers are experts in the relevant field. The average time to the first decision is approximately four weeks.
Authors receive reviewer comments and are required to submit revised versions within the specified timeframe.
Editorial Decisions
Publication decisions are based on:
- scientific quality of the work;
- relevance of the topic;
- peer review outcomes.
All manuscripts are checked for plagiarism prior to publication.
Editorial Principles
The Editorial Board follows the principles of:
- objectivity and impartiality;
- confidentiality;
- transparency of the editorial process.
The journal adheres to international ethical standards, including COPE guidelines.
Additional Policies
Detailed rules regarding publication ethics, article retraction, and complaint handling are provided in separate sections:
- Retraction Policy;
- Complaints Procedure.