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Chimica et Natura Acta

Publication Ethics Statement

Introduction

Chimica et Natura Acta (CNA) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. The journal follows the principles and best practices promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all parties involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—to adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct.

The publication of a peer-reviewed article contributes to the development of a trustworthy and permanent scholarly record. Therefore, ethical behavior is expected from all participants in the publishing process.

Duties of Authors

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their submitted work is original and has not been published previously or submitted simultaneously to another journal. Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be provided.

All manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism-detection software before peer review. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or substantial overlap with previously published works may be rejected.

Data Integrity

Authors must present an accurate account of the work performed and provide sufficient detail to allow replication of the research. Fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, or manipulation of data constitutes unethical behavior and is unacceptable.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Concurrent submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is considered unethical.

Authorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.

All authors must:

  • Approve the final version of the manuscript.
  • Agree to its submission for publication.
  • Accept responsibility for the integrity of the work.

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately.

Ghost authorship, honorary authorship, and gift authorship are considered unethical.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the interpretation of their work.

All sources of funding must be acknowledged.

Ethical Approval

Research involving humans, animals, biological materials, or sensitive data must comply with applicable ethical standards and regulations.

Authors must provide evidence of approval by the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board where applicable.

Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to retain research data and make supporting data available upon reasonable request.

Where possible, datasets should be deposited in recognized repositories and cited in the manuscript.

Correction of Errors

When authors discover significant errors in their published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the editorial office and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions

Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts submitted to the journal should be published based solely on:

  • Scientific merit
  • Originality
  • Relevance to the journal scope
  • Methodological quality
  • Ethical compliance

Editorial decisions shall not be influenced by the authors' nationality, ethnicity, gender, institutional affiliation, religion, political beliefs, or other personal characteristics.

Fair Play

Editors evaluate manuscripts exclusively on their academic merit and without discrimination.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, editorial advisers, and publisher as appropriate.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, institutional, financial, or other relationships with the authors.

Alternative editors will be assigned in such cases.

Handling Misconduct

Editors will take reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of manuscripts involving:

  • Plagiarism
  • Fabrication
  • Falsification
  • Citation manipulation
  • Image manipulation
  • Peer review manipulation
  • Unethical research practices

Suspected misconduct will be investigated in accordance with COPE guidance.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists editors in making editorial decisions and helps authors improve their manuscripts.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.

Reviewers must not share or discuss manuscripts with others without authorization from the editor.

Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively and constructively.

Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.

Reviewers should provide clear and evidence-based comments.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and notify editors of any substantial similarity between the manuscript and other published works.

Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and decline review assignments when such conflicts exist.

Unpublished information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal advantage.

Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher is committed to supporting editorial independence and maintaining the integrity of the academic record.

Commercial interests, sponsorship, advertising, or publication fees shall not influence editorial decisions.

Allegations of Misconduct

The journal takes all allegations of publication misconduct seriously.

Examples include:

  • Plagiarism
  • Duplicate publication
  • Data fabrication
  • Data falsification
  • Authorship manipulation
  • Citation manipulation
  • Peer review manipulation
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

Allegations will be investigated according to established procedures and COPE recommendations. Appropriate actions may include rejection, correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Corrections

Minor errors that do not affect the reliability of the research may be corrected through a formal correction notice.

Retractions

Articles may be retracted when:

  • Findings are unreliable due to misconduct or honest error.
  • Significant plagiarism is identified.
  • Duplicate publication has occurred.
  • Research was conducted unethically.

Retraction notices will remain permanently linked to the original article.

Expressions of Concern

The journal may issue an expression of concern when serious allegations are under investigation but conclusive evidence is not yet available.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors who wish to appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints regarding the editorial process may contact the Editor-in-Chief.

All appeals and complaints will be handled fairly, transparently, and confidentially.

The journal may seek guidance from COPE when necessary.

Conflicts of Interest Policy

All participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff—must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment.

Conflicts may include financial interests, institutional affiliations, personal relationships, academic competition, or intellectual beliefs.

Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may result in rejection, correction, or retraction of published articles.

AI-Assisted Content Policy

Authors must disclose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including generative AI systems, in the preparation of manuscripts.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the work.

Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to the journal.

Ethical Oversight

The editorial board reserves the right to request additional documentation related to:

  • Ethical approval
  • Informed consent
  • Data availability
  • Authorship verification
  • Conflict of interest disclosures

Failure to provide satisfactory documentation may result in rejection or withdrawal of the manuscript.

Archiving and Preservation

The journal is committed to preserving the scholarly record and ensuring long-term accessibility of published content through recognized digital archiving and preservation mechanisms.