As the scholarly journal of the association SELIM, this journal ensures compliance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The COPE's core practices are equally applicable to editors and publishers.

Authorship and contributorship

Authors/co-authors listed in any contribution must fulfil all of the following criteria: (a) substantial contribution to the conception of the work and/or the acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data; (b) drafting or critical revision of the intellectual content of the manuscript; (c) approval of the final version prior to its publication. Upon reception of the proofs, the authors agree to check the proofs carefully, correct any typographical errors, and authorise the publication of the corrected proofs. If there are others who have made other contributions to the research, they should be acknowledged in a separate section (not in the author list).

On the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in writing for SELIM

If authors use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, these technologies should only be used to improve readability and linguistic accuracy of the submitted work and not to replace essential authors' tasks (e.g. producing lines of argumentation or drawing conclusions). If AI-assisted technology is applied, it should be done with human oversight and control, and all work should be carefully revised. The authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of their work.

Authors should disclose in their manuscript any use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies and a statement will appear in the published work. Declaring the use of these technologies supports transparency and trust between authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and contributors and facilitates compliance with the terms of use of the relevant tool or technology. Authors should not list generative AI and AI-assisted technologies as an author or co-author, nor cite AI as an author. Authorship implies responsibilities and tasks that can only be attributed to and performed by humans. This policy is intended to cover new content creation only. 

Conflicts of interest / competing interests

Any potential conflict of interest should be disclosed by the involved parties (editors, authors and reviewers). Reviewers must refrain from reviewing individual manuscripts for which there is a conflict of interest (e.g. contractual or personal relationships which can impact the actions taken).

Complaints and appeals

Any complaints and/or requests should be addressed to the journal's General Editor. In the eventuality that discrepancies may arise, both parties (authors and editors) will try to solve them by amicable settlement. The General Editor will follow the COPE’s guidance in handling allegations.

Journal's options for post-publication discussions and corrections

Exceptionally, the journal may publish an erratum note accompanying the manuscript in which a major error has been detected. Under no circumstances will spelling mistakes be considered in post-publication discussions.

Process for the identification of and dealing with allegations of research misconduct

Allegations of research or publication misconduct may arise at any stage of the editorial process—before publication, during peer review, or after publication—and may be brought to the journal’s attention by reviewers, readers, institutions, or whistleblowers (whether named or anonymous). All concerns are treated seriously, confidentially, and without prejudice.

Upon receiving a concern, the Editor-in-Chief conducts a preliminary assessment to determine whether the allegation is credible and supported by sufficient evidence. Where appropriate, the corresponding author will be contacted and given an opportunity to respond and provide clarification or supporting documentation. The journal communicates in a neutral and professional manner and documents all stages of the process.

SELIM does not conduct full investigations into research misconduct; such investigations are the responsibility of the authors' institutions or employers. Where serious concerns remain unresolved, the journal may refer the matter to the relevant institution and request a formal investigation.

Depending on the outcome of the assessment or investigation, SELIM may take appropriate editorial action. This may include rejection of a manuscript under review, publication of a correction, issuance of an expression of concern, or retraction of a published article. Any corrective notice will be transparent, clearly linked to the original article, and issued in accordance with COPE guidelines in order to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record. All cases are handled with fairness, confidentiality, transparency of outcomes, and a commitment to preserving the integrity of academic publishing.

Procedure for post-publication retraction

In the event that concerns arise regarding the reliability of a manuscript after its publication, the Editors will evaluate it following COPE's Retraction Guidelines. As a consequence of such an evaluation, SELIM may publish a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction.

Corrections are issued when minor mistakes or disclosures need to be amended that do not impact the article's main conclusions or its integrity; this may include, among other instances, a dispute regarding authorship that does not affect the validity of the findings. The Editors may also issue an expression of concern (an editorial notice) recommending that readers exercise caution when interpreting an article that has been reported and whose content is still under investigation, or the evidence for its alleged unreliability is inconclusive.

If the investigation carried out by the Editors proves that the findings or conclusions of the article are not reliable or valid, a retraction will be published. The decision to retract an article may stem from the presence of significant errors, fabricated data, plagiarism, duplicate publication, undisclosed conflicts of interest, compromised peer review, legal or ethical violations, or other types of transgressions that call into question the credibility of the publication.

Retractions will be communicated to readers through the publication of retraction notices, which will provide an objective explanation of the reasons behind the Editors' decision. Additionally, in the interest of transparency, the retracted papers will remain accessible and permanently linked to their corresponding retraction notice. In exceptional cases, such as to comply with legal requirements, manuscripts may be wholly or partially removed from SELIM’s platform and replaced by a public notice describing the reasons for removal.