The academic journal “Scientific Bulletin of Kherson State University. Series ‘Germanic Studies and Intercultural Communication’” conducts its editorial activity on the principles of academic integrity, professional independence, intellectual honesty, and respect for freedom of scholarly inquiry. Publication ethics is a fundamental condition of trust in scholarly communication, while the journal’s editorial policy is aimed at ensuring research quality, procedural transparency, and responsibility of all participants in the publication process.

The editorial board follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics, the principles of the Declaration on Research Assessment, generally recognized international standards of scholarly publishing, and applicable legislation of Ukraine concerning copyright, education, and research activity.

The journal does not tolerate any form of misconduct, abuse of editorial authority, discrimination, or manipulation of scholarly evaluation.

General Principles of Editorial Policy

The editorial policy is based on:

• priority of scholarly quality over formal metrics;
• independence of editorial decisions from political, corporate, or personal influence;
• equal treatment of authors regardless of citizenship, language, gender, ethnicity, affiliation, or academic status;
• transparency of editorial procedures;
• confidentiality of submitted materials until publication;
• responsible peer review;
• respect for intellectual property;
• support for open science and international academic cooperation.

Editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of scholarly merit, relevance to the journal’s scope, and expert review.

Responsibilities of Authors

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that:

• the article is original and not under consideration elsewhere;
• all data presented are reliable;
• all sources are properly cited;
• authorship reflects genuine contributions;
• all co-authors approved the final version;
• conflicts of interest are disclosed;
• any use of AI complies with journal policy;
• ethical requirements relating to human participants, personal data, or confidential information have been met where applicable.

Authors must promptly inform the journal if a significant error is discovered after submission or publication.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are expected to:

• ensure impartial manuscript handling;
• organize high-quality independent peer review;
• maintain confidentiality;
• avoid conflicts of interest;
• refrain from using unpublished materials for personal research;
• make decisions within reasonable timeframes;
• respond to allegations of misconduct;
• initiate corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions where justified.

Editors may not discriminate against authors or seek improper advantages.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

• provide objective and professional assessments;
• justify their recommendations;
• maintain confidentiality;
• disclose conflicts of interest;
• identify possible plagiarism or ethical concerns;
• avoid unnecessary delays;
• refrain from disrespectful language.

Publication Misconduct

Unacceptable practices include:

• plagiarism and self-plagiarism;
• fabrication or falsification;
• citation manipulation;
• honorary or hidden authorship;
• duplicate publication;
• false affiliation information;
• undisclosed conflicts of interest;
• peer-review manipulation;
• unethical AI use;
• infringement of third-party rights.

The journal addresses such matters under internal procedures and international guidance.

Conflicts of Interest

All participants in the editorial process must disclose circumstances that may affect impartiality. Conflicts may be financial, professional, institutional, or personal.

Where a conflict exists, the relevant person is removed from decision-making or review.

Corrections and Post-Publication Responsibility

If errors or ethical concerns arise after publication, the journal may:

• publish a correction;
• issue an editorial clarification;
• publish an expression of concern;
• retract the article.

Responsibility for the quality of the scholarly record continues after publication.

Non-Discrimination Principle

The journal guarantees equal treatment of all authors, reviewers, and readers regardless of language, nationality, gender, age, worldview, disability, religion, or political beliefs, insofar as these do not affect scholarly content.

Openness and International Integrity

The journal supports open access, international cooperation, transparent research assessment, and responsible academic communication. Publication is understood not as formal reporting, but as a contribution to the advancement of humanities scholarship.