The editorial board of the scientific journal Notes on Art Criticism is guided in its activities by international principles of academic ethics and integrity in scientific publishing. This includes adherence to the principles of honesty, impartiality and confidentiality, responsible editorial oversight of the dissemination of research results, and the proper management of potential conflicts of interest.
In its work, the editorial team follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)  and applies the approaches outlined in the Elsevier Publishing Ethics Resource Kit . Compliance with these standards involves respect for all participants in the editorial and publishing process, the involvement of independent experts in peer review, the use of a double-blind peer-review procedure, and the provision of advisory support to authors in preparing manuscripts in accordance with the requirements of international academic databases and standards of scientific writing.

 

Decisions on publication

The final decision on the publication of submitted manuscripts is made by the journal editor. In assessing manuscripts, the editor is guided by the journal’s editorial policy, the scientific value of the research, and the conclusions of the reviewers. The editor must also comply with legal and ethical standards concerning defamation, copyright infringement and plagiarism.
Materials that are under review and have not yet been published may not be used by editors in their own research without the written consent of the authors. If complaints or concerns regarding the ethical integrity of a submitted manuscript are received, the editor ensures that they are examined and that appropriate decisions are taken.
When evaluating manuscripts, the editor considers only their scientific content. Factors related to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, national origin, citizenship or political views of the authors do not influence editorial decisions.

 

Confidentiality

The editor and members of the editorial board are obliged to maintain the confidentiality of information regarding manuscripts submitted to the journal. Information about authors, the content of manuscripts and the review process must not be disclosed. Each manuscript received for expert evaluation is treated as a confidential document. Information may be shared only with individuals directly involved in the editorial process – authors, reviewers, academic advisers or the publisher.

 

Conflict of interest

Unpublished materials may not be used by editors, reviewers or other persons without the consent of the authors. If a conflict of interest arises in connection with professional, financial or other relationships with the authors or organisations related to the research, the relevant individuals must withdraw from the consideration of the manuscript.
The editorial board undertakes to respond to all claims or disputed issues arising in connection with submitted or published materials. If readers, reviewers or other interested parties report possible violations of research or publication ethics, the editorial office conducts an investigation and, where necessary, informs them of the results.

 

Ethical requirements for research

If research involves human participants, it must be approved by the relevant ethics committee of the institution where the research was conducted. Manuscripts containing results of surveys, interviews or other forms of interaction with respondents must confirm that participation was voluntary, that participants provided informed written consent, and that their confidentiality and anonymity were ensured.
The ethical integrity of research must be justified with reference to international standards, including the Code of Ethics of the American Sociological Association  (1997), the European Commission Guidance on Ethics and Data Protection  (2021), and the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics  (2025).
Before commencing research, authors must obtain approval from the relevant Institutional Review Board (IRB) or other ethics body. Research participants must be informed about the purpose of the study, the conditions of data use, the level of anonymity and potential risks. If ethical approval is not required for a particular type of research, authors must provide official confirmation of such an exemption or refer to the relevant legal provisions.

 

Responsibilities of the editorial board

The editorial board must maintain a correct and professional attitude towards authors and respect their scientific position. Editors are obliged to maintain editorial confidentiality and prevent any misuse of submitted materials.
The editorial office does not have the right to alter the author’s text without agreement with the authors; the final version of the article after editorial processing is approved by the authors. Materials that lack scientific value, do not correspond to the scope of the journal, contradict its editorial policy, contain plagiarism, or have previously been published in other outlets are not accepted for publication. The editorial office also ensures the involvement of independent reviewers and applies the double-blind peer-review procedure.

 

Responsibilities of reviewers

Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts impartially and objectively, adhere to the established review deadlines, and maintain the confidentiality of the materials received. A manuscript may not be shared with other persons or used for personal purposes.
Expert evaluation must be reasoned, professional and aimed at improving the scientific quality of the work. If a conflict of interest is identified or if the manuscript’s topic falls outside the reviewer’s field of competence, the reviewer must inform the editorial board. Reviewers must also notify the editorial office of any suspicions concerning possible violations of the principles of academic integrity.

 

Responsibilities of authors

Authors are responsible for the originality, reliability and scientific validity of the results presented. All materials used from other researchers must be accompanied by accurate references to the original sources. Plagiarism, excessive borrowing and self-plagiarism are unacceptable.
Authors must not submit falsified or fabricated research results and should avoid political or ideological bias. A manuscript submitted to the journal must contain original material and must not have been previously published or submitted to another publication.
By submitting a manuscript to the journal Notes on Art Criticism, authors agree that accepted materials may be placed in electronic databases while retaining copyright and with mandatory indication of authorship.
All sources of information used in the article must be listed in the reference list. If significant errors or inaccuracies are discovered after publication, authors must notify the editorial office in order to ensure prompt correction or retraction of the material.

 

Authorship statement

The editorial board assumes that all authors listed in the article agree with its content, have consented to its publication, and have obtained the necessary permissions from the institutions where the research was conducted.
Authorship implies a substantial contribution to the development of the research concept, data collection or analysis, preparation of the manuscript or its critical revision, and approval of the final version of the article. All authors bear responsibility for the reliability of the results presented. Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the acknowledgements section.

 

Submission declaration

Submission of an article to the journal means that it has not been previously published, is not under consideration elsewhere, and that its submission has been approved by all authors and by the relevant institutions where the research was conducted. Once accepted for publication, the article may not be republished elsewhere in the same form or in another language.

 

Data sharing policy

The journal supports the principles of openness and transparency in scientific research while respecting authors’ rights and adhering to ethical standards. The data underlying the results of the research may be provided only upon an official request submitted through the editorial office and subject to the authors’ consent.
An interested party must submit a request specifying the purpose of the data use. The editorial office forwards this request to the authors, who decide whether access will be granted. If the decision is positive, the applicant is informed of further conditions, which may include signing a confidentiality agreement.
The editorial office does not oblige authors to provide access to data and takes into account possible legal, ethical or confidentiality restrictions.

 

Post-publication discussion policy

The journal supports open scientific dialogue regarding published research. Readers and authors may discuss articles on the PubPeer platform, which is used for post-publication commentary.
All journal articles are assigned a DOI, which allows them to be discussed on this platform. Comments must be professional, reasoned and focused on analysing the content of the research. If substantiated comments are received, the editorial office examines them in accordance with the journal’s ethical policy.

 

Advertising policy

The journal does not publish advertising. This practice ensures editorial independence and supports high standards of academic integrity.

 

Research funding policy

The journal Notes on Art Criticism adheres to the principle of transparency regarding research funding sources. Authors must disclose all types of financial support, including grants from research institutions, funding from governmental or non-governmental organisations, commercial or private funding, as well as internal funding from universities or other institutions.
If the research received no financial support, the article must include the statement: “This research received no funding.”