Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The standards of ethical behaviour are ensured in the process of publishing manuscripts in the journal Suvremene teme / Contemporary Issues. The purpose of this document is to support the editorial board in the implementation of good editorial practice in the scientific journal. The document is compiled according to Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Guidelines and Codes of Conduct (www.publicationethics.org).

Privacy Policy

The names and e-mail addresses entered in Journal's websites will be used exclusively for the academic purpose and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party. Collecting these e-mail addresses for commercial use is not permitted.

Ethics Policy and Malpractice Statement

The journal Suvremene teme / Contemporary Issues is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics. The Journal is based on the guidelines and standards developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The goal of this ethics policy is to provide advice for authors. In accordance with our commitment to the prevention of ethical misconduct, we expect all authors to read and understand our ethics policy before submitting a text to Suvremene teme / Contemporary Issues.

Peer Review Policy

The editorial board only accepts manuscripts that are written in Croatian or English, which have not been previously published. All submitted manuscripts are sent for review unless they are out of scope or below the threshold level of the Journal. We employ a 'double-blind' reviewing system. Ultimate responsibility for editorial decisions rests with the Editor-in-chief with confirmation of the editorial board.

Copyright, Licensing and Users Rights

Suvremene teme / Contemporary Issues supports open access to scientific papers, therefore all articles can be accessed in full to be read and printed, at no charge, provided all intellectual property rights, including copyright, are observed. The following Creative Commons license types are applied:

• BY: Credit must be given to the creator.
• NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
• ND: No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.

Duties of Authors

• The Role of Authors and Contributors

Authorship confers credit and has important academic, social, and financial implications, Since it implies responsibility for published work. The authorship should be based on the following 4 criteria:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
• Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content;
• Final approval of the version to be published;
• Accountability for all aspects of the work ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

• Reporting Standards

Authors are obliged to format their manuscripts in accordance with the instructions for authors. Authors should present their research results, scientific contribution and all other data accurately and objectively.

• Originality and Plagiarism

Authors guarantee the originality of their work and should correctly cite references. When crediting sources authors should follow citation guidelines. In case of breaching ethical principles, i.e. plagiarism or any other ethical misconduct the publisher and the editorial board will carry out investigation and sanction academic integrity violations. Upon manuscript submission to the Journal the author accepts all required verification processes to establish the manuscript originality.

• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors should disclose any financial or other independent conflicts of interest that could be interpreted as influencing the results or interpretation of their manuscript. Any sources of financial support for the research should be disclosed.

Duties of Reviewers

• Standards of Objectivity

Reviewers should conduct their reviews objectively. There shall be no personal criticism of the author. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments. Reviewers should present their arguments in a clear way.

• Confidentiality

Reviewers should maintain the confidentiality of the review process treating the document as confidential and protecting the author's integrity.

• Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should warn about the omission of source citation in the manuscript, redundant publication or plagiarism.

• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers should be aware of any real or potential conflict of interest and decline to review the particular manuscript. In case of opposing opinions in double-blind peer reviews the editor in chief can seek the third reviewer's opinion.

Duties of the Journal's Editor in Chief and Editorial Board

• Reputation of Suvremene teme / Contemporary Issues

The editor-in-chief and editorial board have to protect the reputation of the Journal and published works by only publishing content of the highest quality and relevance, in a timely and responsible manner.

• Confidentiality

The editorial board must secure data confidentiality regarding the submitted manuscripts and prevent any misuse of the information contained in the manuscripts. The editor-in-chief and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers and the publisher.

• Decision on the Publication of Articles

The editor in chief and other members of the editorial board consider the manuscripts for publication based on their importance and appropriateness for the thematic focus of the Journal, regardless of the author's race, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, creed, political orientation, etc. The editorial board reaches the final decision of accepting or rejecting the publication of a manuscript taking into account the opinion of the reviewer.

• Review of Manuscripts

The editorial board must ensure impartial double-blind peer review of all published articles. The editorial board must foster responsible behaviour. In case of review process or ethical complaints the editorial board provides the authors with an opportunity to appeal. All complaints should be investigated and documented.

• Plagiarism Check

Before the review process commences all manuscripts are checked using PlagScan, a plagiarism detection tool. If a breach of academic integrity or ethical misconduct is discovered before publishing, the manuscript is rejected.

• Corrections and Retractions Policy

If there is suspicion of misbehavior or alleged fraud, the Journal will carry out an investigation following COPE guidelines. If, after an investigation, there are valid concerns, the authors concerned will be contacted under their given email address and given an opportunity to address the issue.

• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used by anyone who has access to the manuscript in his or her own research without written consent from the author. The editorial board is responsible for investigation of any allegations of unethical practice. If the editors or reviewers identify misconduct, all interested parties should be contacted.