Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

The journal INSTAL applies the highest ethical standards applicable to scholarly publishing. All parties involved in the publication process – Authors, the Editorial Board, Reviewers, and the Publisher – are required to adhere to the principles of scientific integrity, transparency, impartiality, and responsibility. The journal’s ethical policy is based on the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and generally accepted best practices in academic publishing.

Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to INSTAL are obliged to:

  • present research results in a reliable, honest, and accurate manner, in accordance with the principles of good scientific practice,

  • ensure that the submitted manuscript is original, has not been previously published, and is not under consideration by another journal at the same time,

  • properly cite all sources used and clearly indicate the contribution of other individuals or institutions,

  • disclose any potential conflicts of interest,

  • identify all co-authors who have made a significant contribution to the work and obtain their consent for submission and publication of the manuscript,

  • comply with research ethics principles, particularly with regard to experimental, environmental, and engineering research.

The Editorial Board does not accept practices such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, ghostwriting, or guest authorship.

Plagiarism and Originality of Publications

All submitted manuscripts may be verified using plagiarism detection tools.
Proceedings in cases of violations of publication ethics are conducted in accordance with the applicable regulations of Częstochowa University of Technology.

Editorial Board Responsibilities

The Editorial Board of INSTAL is committed to:

  • making editorial decisions solely on the basis of the scientific merit, originality, and thematic relevance of the manuscript,

  • ensuring an impartial, reliable, and confidential peer-review process,

  • protecting the confidentiality of Authors’ and Reviewers’ data,

  • responding to any suspected cases of breaches of publication ethics,

  • publishing corrections, clarifications, or retracting articles in cases of serious errors or ethical violations.

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Reviewers cooperating with INSTAL are required to:

  • prepare reviews in a reliable, substantive, and timely manner,

  • maintain the confidentiality of the content of the reviewed manuscripts,

  • inform the Editorial Board of any potential conflicts of interest,

  • report any identified substantive or ethical irregularities or significant similarities to other publications.

Reviews should be constructive and aimed at improving the quality of published works.

Peer Review Process

The journal INSTAL applies a double-blind peer review procedure, in which the identities of Authors and Reviewers remain anonymous.
Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent Reviewers.

Conflict of Interest

Authors, Reviewers, and Members of the Editorial Board are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect the objectivity of the publication process.
If such conflicts are identified, the Editorial Board undertakes appropriate measures to ensure the impartiality of the evaluation process.

Corrections and Retractions

In the event that significant errors, scientific misconduct, or violations of ethical principles are identified, the Editorial Board reserves the right to:

  • publish an erratum or correction,

  • retract the article from the journal’s record,

  • notify the appropriate institutions.

Publisher’s Responsibility

The Publisher of INSTAL ensures the independence of editorial decisions and supports the Editorial Board in maintaining high ethical standards, free from commercial, institutional, or political influence.