Publication Ethics
The members of the Editorial Board of the academic journal Herald of Journalism (Bulletin of KazNU) adhere in their professional activities to the principles and standards of the Publishing Ethics for Scientific Journals of al-Farabi KazNU (hereinafter referred to as Publication Ethics).
These Publication Ethics have been developed in accordance with the international ethical standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Publication Ethics establish norms, principles, and standards of ethical conduct for editors, reviewers, and authors, as well as procedures for identifying conflicts of interest, cases of unethical behavior, and guidelines for the correction, retraction, or withdrawal of manuscripts.
All participants in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, managing editors, and members of the Editorial Board—are required to strictly comply with the principles and standards of publication ethics. Adherence to ethical principles is essential to ensure and maintain the quality of the journal and to foster trust and mutual respect among all participants in the publication process.
Unethical behavior includes, but is not limited to: submission of self-reviews, fabricated or contractual peer reviews, the use of intermediary or agency services for publication, false authorship, data falsification or fabrication, publication of unreliable or pseudoscientific materials, unauthorized transfer of manuscripts or author materials to third parties, violations of copyright or confidentiality, citation manipulation, plagiarism, and other breaches of ethical standards.
Publication Ethics Principles for Editorial Board Members
Members of the Editorial Board are responsible for the development, improvement, and international promotion of the journal. They shall uphold academic freedom, meet the scholarly needs of authors and readers, and ensure that editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests of authors, reviewers, or publishers. Editorial Board members shall take all reasonable measures to improve the quality of published materials and ensure confidentiality at all stages of the publication process.
Equality and impartiality. Manuscripts are evaluated solely on the basis of their scholarly merit, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, citizenship, political views, or commercial considerations.
Editorial decisions. Decisions regarding publication are made by the Editorial Board based on compliance with journal requirements, plagiarism screening, and peer-review results. Articles containing plagiarism, ethical violations, or copyright infringements are not accepted for publication.
The Editorial Board bears responsibility for preventing the publication of articles involving plagiarism, self-plagiarism, excessive self-citation, conflicts of interest, or other forms of unethical behavior. In cases of ethical misconduct, the Editorial Board may initiate retraction procedures in accordance with COPE guidelines. Articles may be retracted at the request of the authors or by decision of the Editorial Board.
An article may be retracted if:
- there is clear evidence that the data are unreliable or obtained through unethical or illegal practices (e.g., data falsification);
- the manuscript has been previously published elsewhere prior to submission;
- plagiarism is identified, including unauthorized use of figures, tables, or illustrations;
- significant errors are discovered that compromise the validity of the research;
- third-party copyright claims arise;
- the content violates publication or scientific ethics standards.
Following an internal investigation, a formal retraction notice is issued and signed by the Editor-in-Chief. The corresponding author is notified, and the retracted article is clearly marked on the journal website with an explanation of the reasons for retraction.
Confidentiality
Editors and Editorial Board members shall not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the authors, assigned reviewers, and the publisher. Submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents and must not be used for personal research without the authors’ written consent.
Author Publication Ethics Principles
Originality and exclusivity. Authors confirm that submitted manuscripts are original works and have not been submitted simultaneously to other journals.
Authorship. All listed authors must have made a significant contribution to the research. The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the Editorial Board and for obtaining approval of the final manuscript version from all co-authors.
Integrity of research. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of data and must avoid plagiarism, self-plagiarism, falsification, fabrication, data manipulation, and misrepresentation.
Corrections and retractions. Authors must promptly inform the editors of any errors discovered after publication and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions when necessary.
Reviewer Publication Ethics Principles
Reviewers are expected to conduct objective, constructive, and timely peer reviews. Personal criticism of authors is unacceptable. Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential and not used for personal advantage.
Reviewers must disclose conflicts of interest and decline review if impartiality cannot be ensured. Any suspected ethical violations, including plagiarism or data fabrication, must be reported to the editors.
Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest arises when financial, personal, or professional relationships may influence editorial judgment. All participants in the publication process are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest. Disclosure does not automatically result in rejection but ensures transparency and integrity in editorial decision-making.
