Statement on Publication Ethics
Publication Ethics Statement for CSE
The publication process at CSE involves various contributors, including authors, journal management, editors, peer reviewers, advisory board members, and the copy editor. As a collaborative endeavor, we recognize that human errors are inevitable, but we hold all parties to high ethical and professional standards. The following guidelines outline our commitment to ethical publishing, referencing the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
1. Handling User Data
At CSE, we operate under a strict open-access policy, ensuring that all published content is freely accessible to the public without requiring registration. However, users who submit manuscripts, serve as reviewers, or act as editors must register to facilitate the journal's operations. Registration is essential for managing submissions, assigning reviews, and notifying users about significant updates related to the journal.
To register, users are required to provide their first name, surname, and a valid email address. Other personal information is optional and left to the discretion of the user. We strictly treat all personal data as confidential and use it exclusively for journal purposes. Under no circumstances will personal data be disclosed to third parties except as required by law.
Users have the right to request the deletion of their personal data at any time. Such requests will be handled promptly, and all user records will be permanently removed upon notification to the office manager. Additionally, users can disable their login credentials directly through their profile settings.
2. Authors
Authorship of manuscripts submitted to CSE is reserved for individuals who have made substantial contributions to the work. This includes participation in the development, writing, or analysis of the content presented in the manuscript. All (co)authors listed must have played a significant role in the research and writing process. Those who contributed in other ways but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately within the manuscript. CSE encourages its authors to adhere to the best practices explained in the COPE guidelines.
Authors are expected to ensure that their submissions are original and adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity. Manuscripts must accurately present the authors’ research findings, objectives, and methodologies. Proper citations are mandatory for all referenced data, texts, images, and figures, as defined by CSE's style guide. This ensures that intellectual property rights are respected, and proper credit is given to prior work.
Manuscripts must not be submitted to more than one journal simultaneously. This practice, known as duplicate submission, is strictly prohibited as it undermines the integrity of the peer review process. The submitting author is responsible for obtaining consent from all co-authors before submission and keeping them informed about the manuscript's status throughout the review and revision processes.
Conflicts of interest, such as financial sponsorships or affiliations that could influence the manuscript's content, must be disclosed during the submission process. Authors are also encouraged to follow open science principles by making the underlying data for their research available when requested, fostering transparency and reproducibility.
In terms of copyright, CSE operates under Austrian law, which has specific provisions for the scientific use of copyrighted materials. Authors must ensure that any media used in their manuscripts—such as images, screenshots, and figures—either fall within the scope of legal allowances (covered by §42f. UrhG) or have explicit approval from copyright holders.
3. Office Management Staff
The office management team plays a critical role in coordinating the submission and review process. Upon receiving a manuscript, the office manager forwards it directly to the assigned editor(s) for the issue to which it belongs, unless otherwise instructed by the author.
Maintaining confidentiality is a core responsibility of the office manager. They are prohibited from sharing submitted manuscripts with third parties without the author’s written consent. This is particularly crucial during the double-blind peer review process, where the anonymity of both authors and reviewers must be preserved to ensure unbiased evaluations.
4. Editors and Advisory Board
The chief editors are responsible for the overall management of the journal, including its ethical oversight and public representation. They oversee the journal’s operations and work closely with the editorial board to ensure that ethical standards are upheld throughout the publication process.
Each issue of CSE is assigned to one or more editors from the editorial board, who are tasked with managing the peer review process and making final decisions on the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts. These decisions are based solely on the scholarly quality of the submission, without consideration of the authors' personal characteristics, including gender, race, religion, or ethnicity.
Editorial discussions about manuscripts and reviews are conducted in strict confidentiality. Advisory board members, who serve as experts in their respective fields, provide consultative support to the editorial board. They may also be involved in peer review and are instrumental in planning future journal topics.
5. Peer Reviewers
Peer reviewers are vital to CSE's commitment to publishing high-quality scholarly work. Their evaluations inform editorial decisions and provide valuable feedback to authors for improving their manuscripts.
Reviewers are expected to maintain objectivity and refrain from allowing personal biases to influence their assessments. If a reviewer feels unqualified to evaluate a particular manuscript or recognizes a potential conflict of interest, they should immediately notify the editor and recuse themselves from the review.
While providing critical evaluations, reviewers are encouraged to offer constructive feedback to help authors improve their work. Confidentiality must be upheld at all times. Reviewers must not discuss the manuscript with anyone outside the editorial team, nor should they use any information or ideas from the manuscript for personal advantage.
6. Copy Editor
The copy editor ensures that all published articles adhere to consistent linguistic and stylistic standards. This includes proofreading for spelling and grammatical accuracy, checking compliance with the journal's style guide, and ensuring that articles are coherent and comprehensible. If necessary, the copy editor may request revisions from authors to align their work with these standards.
7. Financial Aspects
At present, CSE provides all services free of charge, ensuring accessibility for all contributors and readers. However, this policy is contingent on funding and institutional support and may be subject to change in the future. CSE is committed to minimizing barriers to academic publishing while maintaining its quality standards.
8. Correction and Retraction Policy
Ensuring the accuracy and integrity of published articles is a top priority for CSE. When errors or misconduct are identified, the journal follows COPE guidelines to address the issue.
A Corrections
If an error is discovered, the editorial team will work with the author to correct it. If errors are identified in a published article, such as inaccuracies, questionable content, or incomplete authorship attribution, the editorial board will reach out to the author for clarification. Should these concerns be verified, the author will be given the opportunity to submit corrections addressing the identified issues. The correction will be appended to the original article, and all registered readers will receive an email notification regarding the update. Additionally, a corrigendum will be included in the next available issue of the journal.
B Retractions
In cases of serious misconduct, such as plagiarism or fraudulent data, the article may be retracted. Retracted articles will be clearly marked, and a retraction notice will be published in the next issue. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
• Compelling evidence that the findings are unreliable, whether due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, image manipulation) or significant errors (e.g., calculation mistakes, experimental flaws).
• Prior publication of the material in another venue without proper citation, permission, or justification, such as cases of redundant or duplicate submission.
• Instances of plagiarism, where the work of others is used without appropriate acknowledgment.
• New evidence that raises concerns about the validity or integrity of the article.
• Indications of authorship being sold or misrepresented.
• Evidence suggesting manipulation or compromise of the peer review process.
• Demonstrated engagement in unethical research practices.
• Breaches of the journal’s editorial policies.
• Intentional submission of false or misleading information or violations of declarations made during the submission process.
• Failure to disclose or regulate the use of AI tools in preparing the manuscript.
n such cases, the editorial board will carefully review the matter and seek a response from the author before reaching a decision. If the allegations of misconduct are confirmed, the editorial board will proceed with the retraction of the article. The retraction process involves notifying the author, replacing the article's PDF with a version clearly marked with the word "RETRACTED" diagonally across all pages, and publishing a formal retraction notice in the next available issue of the journal.
9. Advertising Policy
CSE accepts advertisements for academic publications and related content, provided they align with the journal’s focus. The editorial and advertising processes are handled independently to ensure that advertisements do not influence editorial decisions. Advertisements are clearly labeled and visually distinct from journal content. Revenue from advertisements is used exclusively for the journal’s production and operations.
Effective Date: Graz, 19 December 2024
This statement is subject to revision as necessary to reflect updates in policy or practice.