Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

This journal adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)[1] guidelines, promoting transparency, fairness, and integrity in all editorial and publishing processes.

PUBLICATION ETHICS AND MALPRACTICE STATEMENT

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of research papers in Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu (Journal of the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo) represents not only the scholarly achievements of the authors but also the academic standards of the institutions that support them. Peer review ensures the integrity of scholarly communication and of the academic research process. For this reason, it is essential that all participants in the publishing process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—adhere to recognized standards of ethical conduct. Any complaints regarding published material should be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief. Well-founded and constructive criticisms of previously published work will be considered for publication, unless the editorial team has strong reasons to decide otherwise. Authors whose work is subject to such critique will be given the opportunity to provide a response. The journal is open to studies that challenge or question previously published research and will treat such submissions with particular care and attention. Manuscripts reporting negative findings will not be excluded solely on the basis of their results.

Duties of authors

Reporting Standards

Authors submitting original research to Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu must provide an accurate and transparent account of the work performed, along with an objective discussion of its relevance and implications. All underlying data should be truthfully represented in the manuscript. Articles should include sufficient methodological detail and references to allow other researchers to reproduce the study. Deliberately misleading or false statements are considered unethical and are strictly prohibited.

 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors are expected to submit entirely original work. If they incorporate the work or words of others, proper citation or quotation is required. Plagiarism includes presenting another author's work as one's own, copying or paraphrasing portions of another's work without attribution, or claiming the results of another's research. Any form of plagiarism is unethical and unacceptable in academic publishing.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors submitting to Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu should not, in general, publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Sending the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously is considered unethical and unacceptable. Previously published work should not normally be submitted to another journal for consideration. In some cases, such as translations, secondary publication may be permissible if certain conditions are met: both the authors and editors of the journals involved must agree, the secondary publication must present the same data and interpretation as the original, and the primary source must be clearly cited.

Acknowledgement of sources

Authors must properly credit the work of others. Relevant publications that influenced the submitted work should be cited. Information obtained privately, through conversations, correspondence, or discussions with third parties, must not be used without explicit written permission. Similarly, confidential information gained through peer review or grant evaluations cannot be used without the author’s written consent.

Appeal against the editorial decision

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. Rebuttals should be sent directly to the Editor-in-Chief for review. Appeals will be considered only in genuine cases; editorial decisions will not be overturned unless serious issues are identified. New editors cannot reverse publication decisions made by previous editors unless significant problems are found.

Duties of the Editorial Board

Relations with Authors

Editors of Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu take all necessary steps to ensure the quality and scholarly value of the manuscripts they handle, recognizing that different sections of the journal may have distinct aims and standards. Decisions to accept or reject a submission are based solely on the manuscript’s significance, originality, clarity, and its relevance to the scope of the journal.

Ensuring the integrity of the academic record

All articles, including reviews and professional publications, should be accurate and objective. Editorial commentary or opinion pieces must be clearly identified as such. Whenever a significant error, misleading statement, or misrepresented report is discovered, it will be corrected promptly and prominently. If an investigation confirms that a published item is fraudulent, it will be formally retracted.

Publication decisions

Editors are responsible for determining which manuscripts are suitable for publication. Decisions must be guided by the validation of the research and its importance to readers and the scholarly community. Editors may consult the journal’s editorial policies and relevant legal requirements regarding libel, copyright, and plagiarism, and may seek input from other editors or reviewers.

Peer review

All papers undergo double-blind peer review and the author’s identity is not revealed. After the paper is received, the editor-in-chief determines if it is acceptable for the fields of the journal. In case the paper does not fall into any of the areas that are the focus of the journal, the Editorial Board informs the author about it. In case the paper is suitable and in accordance with the Guidelines for the Authors, it is sent to two reviewers. They respond by a report provided via the review form, containing the following recommendations:

can be published without corrections

can be published after the suggested corrections are made

cannot be published.

Once all reviewers present their opinion, the editor-in-chief, after consulting the editorial board members, provides one of the following recommendations on the form:

publish without any changes

publish after the corrections are made

not for publishing.

If the recommendation of the editor-in-chief and the editorial board is to publish the paper without any corrections, the paper is accepted for publishing. If the editor-in-chief and the board of editors recommend to consider the paper after the necessary corrections are made, the paper is returned to the author with suggestions for changes. The editor-in-chief and the board of editors review the corrected paper and if the changes are made they approve the paper for publishing. In certain cases, the corrected paper is again sent to reviewers for approval, and if the reviewers agree with the changes, the paper is approved for publishing, and in the case of a negative answer, the papers rejected. If one reviewer recommends publishing of the paper with or without changes, and the other not to publish it, the third reviewer is engaged. In case the reviewers present different opinions, the final decision in the categorization of the paper falls upon the editor-in-chief, in consultation with the editorial board. If the editor-in-chief and/or both reviewers recommend not to publish the paper, the paper is rejected. The editor-in-chief, the board of editors and members of the editorial staff cannot be selected for reviews, which ensures high quality, just and unbiased review procedure for every paper, since at least two reviewers need to positively review the paper, together with the editor-in-chief and other editors, in order for it to be published in the journal.

Fair play

Manuscripts are assessed solely on their intellectual content, without consideration of authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political views.

Confidentiality

Editors must ensure that all material submitted to the journal remains strictly confidential during the review process.

Conflict of interest

Editors of Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu must have clear procedures to identify and manage any conflicts of interest, whether related to themselves, their staff, authors, reviewers, or members of the editorial board.

Involvement and cooperation in investigations

Editors are expected to take prompt and appropriate action when ethical concerns are raised about a submitted or published manuscript, in coordination with the publisher. This typically involves contacting the author and carefully evaluating the complaint. Additional steps may include communicating with relevant institutions or research bodies. If a complaint is validated, the journal may issue a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or other relevant notice. Every reported instance of unethical behavior should be investigated, even if identified years after publication.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review helps editors make informed decisions and can guide authors in improving their manuscripts. It is a fundamental part of scholarly communication and the scientific method. Scholars contributing to publications have a professional responsibility to participate fairly in the review process.

Promptness

Reviewers who feel unqualified to evaluate a manuscript, or who cannot provide a timely review, should inform the editor and withdraw from the process.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts sent for review must be treated as confidential. They should not be shared or discussed with anyone except as authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted impartially. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate, and reviewers should provide clear, well-supported feedback.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should point out relevant literature that the authors may have omitted. Any claims that ideas, derivations, or arguments have been previously reported must be properly cited. Reviewers should also alert editors to any substantial overlap between the manuscript under review and other works they know.

 

[1] COPE (2019). Promoting integrity in research and its publication | committee on publication ethics: COPE. [online] Publicationethics.org. Available at: https://publicationethics.org/.