Ethics of publications

The journal "Acta Academiae Beregsasiensis: Geographica et Recreatio" complies with the requirements established by the International Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which can be found on the COPE website, as well as the principles of DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment).

Principles of ethics of the editor and publisher

When making a decision on publication, the editorial board is guided by the reliability of the submitted data and the scientific significance of the considered work.

The intellectual content of the manuscripts is assessed regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, origin, citizenship, social status or political views of the authors.

Unpublished data obtained from submitted manuscripts are not used for personal purposes and are not passed on to third parties without the written consent of the author. Information from submitted manuscripts remains confidential and is not used for personal gain.

The editors do not publish the manuscript if there is reason to believe that it is plagiarism.

The editors do not leave unanswered claims concerning the considered manuscripts or published materials, and in the event of a conflict take all necessary measures to restore the violated rights.

Principles of reviewer ethics

The manuscript received for review is considered a confidential document that cannot be passed on for review or discussion to third parties who do not have the authority to do so.

The reviewer gives an objective and reasoned assessment of the results of the study. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable.

Unpublished data obtained from submitted manuscripts are not used by the reviewer for personal purposes.

A reviewer who, in his opinion, does not have sufficient qualifications to evaluate the manuscript, or if it cannot be objective, in particular in the event of a conflict of interest with the author or organization, must notify the editors with a request to exclude it from the review process.

Principles of author ethics

The author (authors) of the article must provide reliable results of the research. Deliberate representation of false or falsified data is unacceptable.

The author must ensure that the results of the study presented in the submitted manuscript are completely original. Borrowed data must be made with the obligatory indication of the author and the original source. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable. The article should provide references to the work that was relevant to the study.

Authors should not submit a manuscript that has previously been submitted to another publication and is currently under review, as well as an article already published in another publication.

The co-authors of the article should indicate all persons who have made a significant contribution to the study.

If the author finds errors or inaccuracies in the article at the stage of its consideration or after its publication, he must notify the editors as soon as possible.

Policy on Research Assessment (DORA)

The journal supports the principles of responsible research assessment and adheres to the provisions of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). We recognize that the quality of scholarly work should be evaluated primarily on its content rather than on journal-based metrics such as the impact factor.

In accordance with DORA principles, the journal promotes fair and transparent evaluation of scholarly work, focusing on scientific value, methodological rigor, originality, and the societal relevance of research.

The journal encourages authors, reviewers, editors, and academic institutions not to use journal-level metrics as a substitute for assessing the quality of individual scholarly articles.

In editorial and peer-review processes, decisions are made exclusively on the basis of the scientific quality, relevance, and contribution of the submitted manuscript, without consideration of bibliometric indicators or the formal status of authors or their institutions.

The journal supports diverse forms of research outputs and recognizes the importance of disseminating research through various platforms and formats, including open access publications.

Policy on Mandatory Ethical Approval 

The journal requires that all research involving human participants, animals, or their biological materials comply with internationally recognized ethical standards and applicable national regulations.

For studies involving human participants, authors must confirm that the research was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and that prior approval was obtained from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board. Informed consent must be secured from all participants, and this should be clearly stated in the manuscript.

For research involving animals, authors must confirm compliance with relevant national and international guidelines for the care and use of laboratory or other animals in research. Ethical approval from a competent institutional ethics committee is mandatory, and the manuscript must include a statement confirming such approval.

For studies involving biological materials of human or animal origin, authors must ensure that their collection and use comply with applicable ethical standards and legal requirements, including appropriate consent and authorization where required.

Manuscripts that do not include evidence of ethical approval or do not comply with these requirements will not be considered for publication.

Procedure for Handling Complaints 

The editorial board of the journal adheres to the principles of academic integrity and publication ethics and ensures a transparent and fair procedure for handling complaints related to their violation.

Complaints may concern, but are not limited to, cases of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data falsification or fabrication, improper authorship attribution, undisclosed conflicts of interest, unethical research practices, or violations of editorial and peer review standards.

Any complaint submitted to the editorial office must be clearly formulated and supported by relevant evidence. Complaints are accepted from authors, reviewers, readers, or other stakeholders and may be submitted via official communication channels of the journal.

Upon receipt of a complaint, the editorial board conducts an initial assessment to determine its validity and relevance. If necessary, additional information may be requested from the complainant or other involved parties. The journal ensures confidentiality and an unbiased approach throughout the investigation process.

In cases where a violation is suspected, the editorial board may initiate an internal review or involve independent experts. All parties concerned are given the opportunity to respond to the allegations.

Depending on the results of the investigation, the editorial board may take appropriate actions, including but not limited to: rejection or retraction of the manuscript or published article, publication of corrections or clarifications, notification of the authors’ affiliated institutions, or other measures in accordance with international ethical standards.

Artificial Intelligence Usage Policy

The editorial board recognizes the growing role of artificial intelligence technologies in scholarly activities and supports their responsible, ethical, and transparent use in accordance with international standards of publication ethics.

Authors may use artificial intelligence tools (e.g., for language editing, translation, text structuring, or data analysis), provided that such use does not replace their own intellectual contribution, critical thinking, or scientific responsibility. The use of artificial intelligence must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript. Authors are required to specify which tools were used and for what purposes. Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as co-authors, as they cannot assume responsibility for the content of the work.

Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all submitted materials, including any parts generated or modified with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The use of such tools to generate fabricated data, falsify research results, or produce misleading or pseudo-scientific content is strictly prohibited.

Reviewers are discouraged from uploading manuscripts or any parts thereof into artificial intelligence systems that may compromise confidentiality, intellectual property rights, or the integrity of the peer review process.

The editorial board reserves the right to screen submissions for inappropriate or undisclosed use of artificial intelligence and to take appropriate actions in cases of violations.

Retraction Policy

The journal adheres to international standards of publication ethics and ensures a transparent procedure for the retraction of published articles in cases of serious violations.

Retraction may be considered in cases including, but not limited to, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, significant errors affecting the validity of results, unethical research practices, duplicate publication, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or other breaches of publication ethics.

The retraction process may be initiated by authors, editors, reviewers, or other stakeholders. All allegations are carefully assessed by the editorial board, and, where necessary, additional information or clarification is requested from the authors and other involved parties.

Prior to making a final decision, the editorial board conducts a thorough investigation in accordance with the principles of fairness, objectivity, and confidentiality. Authors are given an opportunity to respond to the concerns raised.

If a retraction is confirmed, the article remains accessible on the journal’s website in order to preserve the scholarly record, but is clearly marked as “Retracted.” A retraction notice is published, stating the reasons for the retraction and providing a link to the original article.

In cases where errors are minor and do not compromise the overall findings of the study, the journal may issue a correction (erratum) or clarification instead of a full retraction.