Ethical Standards and Handling of Misconduct

The Editorial Board of the journal " Otorinolaringologìâ" is guided in its activities by the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

In the event of suspected breaches of academic integrity or publication ethics (including plagiarism, data manipulation, conflict of interest, or authorship disputes), the Editorial Board acts strictly in accordance with the COPE Flowcharts.

Complaint Handling Procedure:

  1. Application of COPE Flowcharts: For each type of misconduct (e.g., suspected plagiarism in a submitted manuscript or an already published article), the corresponding COPE step-by-step instruction is used, ensuring the objectivity and impartiality of the investigation.
  2. Inquiry to the Authors: According to the protocols, the Editorial Board's first step is to contact the authors for clarification.
  3. Cooperation with Institutions: In cases of serious misconduct that cannot be resolved internally, the Editorial Board reserves the right to contact the ethics committees of the institutions where the research was conducted.

Complaints and Appeals Procedure

The Editorial Board of the journal "Otorhinolaryngology" adheres to high standards of publication ethics and takes measures to prevent breaches of academic integrity (plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, improper authorship, etc.).

1. Submitting a Complaint

Complaints regarding the content of published materials, the actions of authors, reviewers, or the editorial staff are accepted in writing at the following email address: amtc@kndio.kiev.ua.

The complaint must include:

  • The applicant's full name and contact information;
  • A link to the specific material (article title, volume, issue);
  • A detailed description of the nature of the violation, along with supporting evidence (e.g., links to original sources in case of suspected plagiarism).

2. Complaint Review Procedure

  • Preliminary Review: The Editor-in-Chief verifies within 7 working days whether the complaint matches the journal's profile and has factual grounds. Anonymous complaints without an evidentiary base are not considered.
  • Investigation: For the analysis of complex cases, an ethics committee is formed, which may include members of the Editorial Board and independent experts. The Editorial Board must contact the authors of the article to obtain official explanations.
  • Confidentiality: The investigation process remains confidential until a final decision is reached.

3. Decision Making

Based on the results of the review, the Editorial Board may make one of the following decisions:

  • Reject the complaint as unsubstantiated;
  • Request the authors to make technical corrections;
  • Publish an official expression of concern.
  • Retract the article in case of major violations (plagiarism, fabrication).

4. Appeals

Authors who disagree with the Editorial Board's decision have the right to lodge an appeal within 14 days of receiving the notification.

The appeal is considered by the Editorial Council, whose decision is final.