Papers of BAS

The present statement is committed to ensuring publication ethics and quality of articles. Conformance to standards of ethical behaviour is therefore expected of all parties involved: authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers. The successful completion of the publication process depends excessively on the correct and ethical relations between the participants which include the assuming and discharging of certain obligations. This document specifies these obligations on the basis of the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (http://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines); Elsevier Publishing: Policies & guidelines (elsevier.com) and the Ethical code of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria (march_2008_Etichen Kodeks.pdf (usb-bg.org).

Obligations of the authors

Authors must base their conclusions on objective data, accurate calculations and scientific arguments. References to previous studies must be appropriate and performed correctly. The author must keep the data used long enough and make it available on request so that the reader can reproduce the study, in case s/he so wishes. Submitted manuscripts must be original. If the author uses parts of other own or foreign works, they must be cited. Plagiarism in all its forms is unacceptable. Unethical and unacceptable behaviour is the offering of already published articles or the simultaneous offering of one article in several journals. It is necessary to correctly cite all sources used to create the manuscript. Only those who have a significant contribution to the writing of the article should be named as authors. Anyone who has made a significant contribution to the article should identify themselves as co-authors. Co-authors must agree with the option offered for publication. Authors should declare conflicts of interest that may affect the final results of the study. The discovery of significant errors in already published works obliges the author to cooperate with the Editorial board in withdrawing the article or publishing a revised version.

Obligations of the Editorial board

The Editorial board evaluates the presented manuscripts based on their scientific and practical merits, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and political views of the authors. The Editorial board has no right to discuss the submitted materials with third parties, except with the reviewers, the publisher and the author. The Editorial board decides to publish on the proposal of the Editor-in-chief, in accordance with the opinion of the reviewers and adhering to the editorial policy of the journal for copyright protection and against all forms of plagiarism and fraud. Editorial board members should not use ideas and information in unpublished manuscripts without the consent of the authors. The Editorial board will take immediate action in all cases of received signals of unethical conduct, including plagiarism, incorrect citation, manipulation of data and results. The measures include contacts with the affected parties and institutions to reveal the truth of the ethical violations. This process may lead to the withdrawal of the manuscript or, if it has already been printed, to the publication of established ethical violations. In cases of rejection of a manuscript, the Editorial board recommends that the authors submit the article to another publisher.

Obligations of the reviewers

The precise work of the reviewers is the basis of the decisions of the editorial board for publication. In addition, reviewers’ suggestions can improve the quality of manuscripts. The Editorial board relies on all authors whose articles have been published to contribute their expertise as future reviewers. Any reviewer who does not feel sufficiently competent in the scientific field of the proposed manuscript or is prevented from submitting the review within the expected timeframe must immediately notify the Editor-in-chief that s/he refuses to review it. Reviewers should respect the principle of confidentiality and not discuss with third parties any information relating to the proposed manuscript. The review should be prepared impartially and on the basis of an objective assessment of the manuscript. Reviewers have to fill in the form and make comments if necessary. Reviewers are expected to express their views competently, clearly and with sufficient arguments. Reviewers must strictly monitor the correct citation and use of data and sources. Establishing a significant similarity between the peer-reviewed manuscript and an already published article requires notification to the Editor-in-chief. Reviewers should refrain from reviewing when a conflict of interest arises based on professional, personal, financial and other affiliations with the author. Reviewers should not use ideas and information in unpublished manuscripts without the consent of the authors.

Obligations of the Publisher

The Publisher warrants that advertising, reprinting or other commercial activities do not affect editorial decisions. The Publisher facilitates communication with other journals and/or publishers if this improves the publishing activity. The Publisher cooperates with other publishers and organizations in setting standards for publication ethics.