Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
Publication in the peer-reviewed journal STRIDON: Journal of Studies in Translation and Interpreting contributes to the international body of translation and interpreting research. Since each publication reflects upon the quality of the authors, their supporting institutions, the editor and editorial board, and the publisher, STRIDON's editors expect all parties to adhere to the ethical standards outlined below. STRIDON's publishing ethics, which promote honesty, transparency, accountability, and respect for others, are based on the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and are informed by the principles outlined in COPE’s Core Practices.
The University of Ljubljana Press, as the publisher of STRIDON: Journal of Studies in Translation and Interpreting, takes seriously its role as guardian of all stages of the publication process and is responsible for maintaining the integrity of past and present scholarship published in the journal. The publisher is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprint purchases, or other commercial revenues have no influence or impact on editorial decisions. In addition, the publisher and editorial board of STRIDON: Journal of Studies in Translation and Interpreting will exchange information on publishing ethics with other journals and/or publishers when useful and necessary.
Authorship and contributorship
Authorship denotes both recognition and responsibility for the manuscript and the resulting publication. Authorship is limited to those who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. Only those who have made a substantial contribution to the research should be listed as co-authors. Less significant contributions should be acknowledged.
The corresponding author should ensure that the list of co-authors is complete, correct and in the proper order. The corresponding author should also ensure that all co-authors have seen and approved the manuscript prior to submission. Any addition, deletion or rearrangement of author names in the list of authors should only be done before the manuscript is accepted and only with the approval of the editor. To request such a change, the editor must receive the following from the corresponding author: (a) the reason for the change in the author list, and (b) written confirmation (email, letter) from all authors that they agree to the addition, deletion, or rearrangement. When adding or removing authors, the editor will ask for confirmation from the author being added or removed. Only in exceptional circumstances will the editor consider adding, removing or rearranging authors after the manuscript has been accepted.
Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing
The use of AI tools to analyse and derive insights from data as part of the research process is permitted, as is the use of AI tools to check grammar, spelling and references.
However, authors may not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process to generate content, but only to improve readability and language. In this case, the use of the technology should be under human supervision and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the results, as AI can produce authoritative-sounding results that may be incorrect, incomplete or biased. AI and AI-enabled technologies should not be listed as authors, co-authors or cited as authors, since authorship implies responsibilities and tasks that can only be assigned to and performed by humans.
Disclosure instructions
Authors must disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by adding a statement at the end of their manuscript in the core manuscript file, before the reference list. The statement should be placed in a new section entitled 'Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process'.
Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as necessary and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.
Complaints and Appeals
General Concerns or Complaints
Anyone wishing to raise a concern or make a complaint about any aspect of being published in STRIDON: Journal of Studies in Translation and Interpreting may send an email to znanstvena.zalozba@ff.uni-lj.si. The staff of the University of Ljubljana Press, Faculty of Arts, will endeavour to acknowledge receipt of an email within 5 working days, but please note that the publisher does not oversee or comment on the editorial decisions of any of the journals published by the University of Ljubljana Press.
The investigation of an alleged complaint will be carried out in accordance with COPE guidelines, and will determine whether the correct procedures have been followed. The publisher will review the submission history and any correspondence between the author, editor and reviewers, and may also contact the parties involved to obtain further information where necessary and in accordance with GDPR regulations.
The complainant will be informed of the outcome in writing. The University of Ljubljana Press aims to resolve issues as quickly as possible, but please note that investigations can sometimes take several weeks or longer, depending on the nature of the concern or complaint, the availability of relevant data and information, whether multiple authors and papers are involved, and the possible involvement of the author's institution or other external parties.
In the interests of due process and an unbiased investigation, anyone raising a concern or complaint is respectfully requested to allow the process to run its course before commenting publicly on the case.
If the author wishes to pursue their complaint further, they may contact COPE directly. Information can be found on the COPE website: Facilitation and Integrity Subcommittee | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics
Complaints about Publications in STRIDON
All concerns raised about content published in STRIDON, regardless of their status, will be investigated confidentially and in accordance with COPE guidelines. In many cases, an internal review will be carried out to determine whether a full investigation is required. The investigation will be conducted in collaboration with the author and the journal editor. The publisher may also contact third parties such as independent experts, the author's institutions or their funding bodies, which will be done in accordance with GDPR regulations.
The University of Ljubljana Press will make every effort to maintain the anonymity of the complainant, although in some cases it may be necessary to disclose the identity of the complainant when dealing with certain complaints. Complainants will be informed once an investigation has been completed and an appropriate course of action has been determined. Unfortunately, no regular updates will be provided to complainants during the investigation in order to maintain confidentiality.
Appealing the Editorial Decision
Editors have very wide discretion in deciding whether a submission is appropriate for their journal. Many submissions are rejected without external review, with a very general explanation of the rejection decision. These decisions are not subject to formal appeal.
If the author believes that the decision to reject the submission was not in accordance with the journal's policies and procedures, the author may appeal the decision by providing the Editor-in-Chief with a detailed, point-by-point response to the reviewers' and editors' comments. The Editor-in-Chief will review the peer review process, and if the decision has been made in accordance with the editorial criteria, the Editor-in-Chief's decision to reject is final.
Please note that the staff of the University of Ljubljana Press will not adjudicate between an author and an editor in case of disagreement on the final decision.
Appealing Corrective Action taken Post Publication
If concerns are raised about a published article, the Editor-in-Chief will decide, in accordance with the guidelines published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including the COPE retraction guidelines, and in consultation with the University of Ljubljana Press, whether a published article should be retracted or whether other corrective action or notification should be made to the published article. The editors of the journal and the University of Ljubljana Press reserve the right to take any corrective action they deem necessary in the interest of their responsibility to maintain a transparent and accurate academic record.
Authors may appeal this decision if new evidence affecting the underlying decision comes to light before the specified deadline for comments. Appeals will be considered by the University of Ljubljana Press and may be discussed with the journal editors, the journal editorial board and/or external scientific advisors. Decisions on appeals concerning retractions and expressions of concern are final.
Disclosure and conflicts of interest
Authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other significant conflicts of interest that might be perceived as influencing the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed. Examples of potential conflicts of interest that should be disclosed include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding. Potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed at the earliest possible stage.
Editors require all authors to publish corrections if competing interests are discovered after publication. If necessary, other appropriate action may be taken, such as retraction of the article or expression of concern. Any potential breach of publishing ethics will be investigated, even if it is discovered years after publication.
Data access and retention
The journal STRIDON is committed to facilitating openness, transparency and reproducibility of research, and therefore supports and encourages authors, where appropriate, and subject to ethical and legal considerations, to make their research data openly available, discoverable and citable.
Authors are therefore encouraged to:
- Make their research data available in a relevant public data repository.
- Include a data availability statement linking to their If it is not possible to share their data, the authors should use the statement to confirm why it cannot be shared.
- Cite the data in their
Authors may be asked to provide the underlying data of their research with the manuscript for editorial review. If not made publicly available, authors should retain their data for at least 10 years after publication.
Ethical Oversight
If the article reports on research involving human subjects, the author should ensure that the manuscript includes a statement that all procedures were carried out in accordance with relevant laws and institutional policies, and that they were approved by the appropriate institutional committee(s). Authors should include a statement in the manuscript that informed consent has been obtained for any reseravh involving human subjects. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be respected.
Intellectual Property and Copyright
Fees
As noted in the section About the Journal, no fees of any kind will be charged to authors at any time before or after publication.
Author Rights and Resonsibilities
Authors certify that
- the submitted manuscript (and any supporting material) is their own intellectual property and the copyright has not been transferred to anyone else.
- the manuscript does not contain any plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or manipulated citations, and that it complies with the journal authorship policy.
- permission to reproduce any copyrighted tables, figures, data, text, etc. has been obtained from the copyright holders.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. For more, see Submissions.
In the event of claims by third parties, the authors undertake to protect the interests of the publisher and to indemnify the publisher for damages and costs. Authors agree to keep confidential all communications, comments, or reports between authors and reviewers or editors.
Editorial Team Responsibilities
All review comments and reports remain the intellectual property of the reviewer or editor.
Reviewers and editors agree to keep confidental all communications, comments, or reports between authors and reviewers, or editors.
Reviewers and editors agree to keep all manuscripts, revisions, and drafts confidential, with the exception of the final published article(s).
Post-Publication Discussion Policy
The journal STRIDON recognises the importance of post-publication discussions on published research and is open to such discussions. The editors will review your comments and discuss them with the corresponding author and peer reviewers, if necessary. The final outcome of these investigations may take a variety of forms: it may range from a private response to you, to the publication of a note or short communication about the article in the journal, to the correction of parts of the article with or without public announcement, and in some very exceptional circumstances, to the removal of the article from the journal. An email will be sent to the corresponding author and reviewers outlining all considerations and criteria for the final decision. If necessary, the matter will be published in the journal for public notice.
Duties of authors
Reporting standards: Authors of reports of original research should provide an accurate account of the work carried out and an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data should be accurately reported and articles should include sufficient detail and references to enable others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical and therefore unacceptable.
Multiple, redundant, or concurrent publication: In general, an author should not describe the same research findings in more than one primary research journal article. Simultaneous submission of essentially the same manuscript to more than one journal is unethical and unacceptable. Multiple publications describing different aspects of results derived from a single set of research experiments or observations may be justified with explicit statements of how the multiple manuscripts are distinctly different from each other.
Acknowledgement of sources: Appropriate acknowledgement of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in establishing the context, relevance and impact of the work reported. Information obtained privately, such as in conversations, correspondence or discussions with third parties, should not be used or reported without the explicit written permission of the source. Information obtained in the course of confidential services, such as reviewing manuscripts or grant applications, must not be used without the explicit written permission of the author of the work in question.
Fundamental errors in published works: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in the published work, the author is obliged to notify the editor or publisher of the journal immediately and to cooperate with the editor in retracting or correcting the paper. If the editor or publisher learns from a third party that a published paper contains a significant error, the author must immediately retract or correct the paper or provide the editor with evidence of the accuracy of the original paper. In rare cases, a publication may be corrected or retracted at the editor's discretion.
Originality and plagiarism: All manuscripts must be the original work of the author(s). Inclusion of the work of others must be clearly indicated with appropriate citation of the source material. Plagiarism takes many forms, from attempting to present someone else's work as one's own, to copying or paraphrasing substantial parts (including figures or tables) of other work by the same authors or by other researchers without attribution, or claiming results from research conducted by others. Plagiarism also includes copying the exact words or almost exact words, or deliberately paraphrasing parts of another author’s work without clearly indicating the source or identifying the copied fragment (e.g., by using quotation marks). Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable. Plagiarism may also be a violation of copyright law, which may be punishable by law.
If plagiarism is suspected during the submission and review process, the authors will be notified and given the opportunity to clarify the situation within one week of notification. Failure to provide an adequate and timely explanation of apparent plagiarism will result in the manuscript being withdrawn from consideration by the journal.
Manuscripts that include work previously presented with limited circulation such as at a symposium or conference or as part of a student’s thesis or dissertation are acceptable for consideration with proper citation of the earlier work.
Retraction policy: Legal restrictions imposed by the publisher, copyright holder, or author(s), violations of professional ethics such as multiple submissions, false claims of authorship, plagiarism, fraudulent use of data, or any other serious misconduct will require retraction of an article.
Occasionally, a retraction may be used to correct numerous serious errors that cannot be covered by publication corrections. A retraction may be published by the editor-in-chief/editorial board, the author(s), or by mutual agreement of both parties.
Duties of the editor and editorial board
Publication decisions: The editors of the journal STRIDON: Journal of Studies in Translation and Interpreting are responsible for selecting the articles which are to be published in the journal. The validation of the work and its importance for researchers and readers must always be the driving force behind such decisions. The editors will also take into account the evaluations of the Editorial Board and the peer reviewers. The editors may consult with other technical experts, editorial board members, or reviewers to make publication decisions. In rare cases, editorial decisions may be constrained by legal requirements relating to allegations of libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism.
Fair play and inclusivity: The editors will evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of their intellectual merit, without regard to the race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, nationality or political philosophy of the authors.
Confidentiality: All manuscripts submitted for review must be treated as confidential documents. Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher, as appropriate.
Disclosure and conflicts of interest: Unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript may not be used by the editors or editorial board members without the express written consent of the author. Editors should recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts in which they have an apparent conflict of interest arising from competitive, collaborative or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies or institutions associated with the work. In such a case, another member of the Editorial Board will be asked to review and consider the manuscript.
Duties of reviewers
Contribution to editorial decisions: Peer review assists the author in improving the manuscript and assists the editor in making editorial decisions. Therefore, any potential reviewer should decline the opportunity to review work outside their area of expertise.
Promptness: The reviews should be completed within the agreed time frame for the review.
Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat manuscripts received for review as confidential documents. They should not be shown to or discussed with others unless authorised by the editors. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must remain confidential and not be used for personal gain. Unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript may not be used by reviewers for their own research without the express written consent of the authors.
Standards of objectivity: Reviews should be objective. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.
Acknowledgment of sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation or argument has been reported previously should be accompanied by the relevant citation.
Ethical awareness: A reviewer should be alert to potential ethical issues in the paper and should bring these to the attention of the editor, including any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and other published work of which the reviewer has personal knowledge.
Disclosure and conflict of interest: Unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript may not be used by a reviewer for his/her own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal gain. Reviewers should recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest arising from competitive, collaborative or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies or institutions associated with the research reported in the manuscript, and have to inform the editors about it.
Ethics in Research at the University of Ljubljana
The journal STRIDON: Journal of Studies in Translation and Interpreting also follows the Code of ethics for researchers at the University of Ljubljana, which provides standards of ethical behaviour to guide teachers, researchers and doctoral students when ethical issues arise, and is in line with the Code of Ethics for Researchers in the EU.
