Publication Ethics

General Ethics

This Journal adheres to the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), fully complying with its Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines.

The editors uphold a rigorous peer-review process alongside stringent ethical policies and standards, ensuring the inclusion of high-quality scientific contributions in scholarly publications. Instances of plagiarism, data falsification, image manipulation, inappropriate authorship attribution, and similar ethical concerns are treated with the utmost seriousness, warranting a zero-tolerance approach.

Authors intending to publish in this Journal must adhere to the following:

  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure:Any potential conflict of interest concerning the author(s) should be disclosed within the paper before submission.
  • Accurate Presentation of Research Findings: Authors must faithfully present their research findings and offer an unbiased discussion of the significance of their results.
  • Comprehensive Presentation of Data and Methods:Sufficient detail regarding the data and methods employed in the research must be included in the paper, facilitating reproducibility by other researchers.
  • Raw Data Availability:Authors are encouraged to publicly deposit raw data before submitting their manuscript. At the very least, authors should make raw data available upon request by referees and editors of Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing. Appropriate measures should be taken to retain raw data for a reasonable period post-publication.
  • Single Journal Submission: Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is not permissible.
  • Prompt Communication of Errors:Should authors identify errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they are obligated to promptly inform the editors of Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing to facilitate appropriate actions.
  • Manuscript Originality and Copyright Compliance: All content in your manuscript must be original and not previously published. Should you incorporate figures or images that have been previously published, it is imperative to secure the necessary permissions from the copyright holder for publication under the CC-BY license.
  • Plagiarism Prohibition:Plagiarism, encompassing the unattributed copying of text, ideas, images, or data from external sources, including one’s own prior work, is unequivocally prohibited. Proper credit must be attributed to the original source. If text is reused verbatim, it must be enclosed within quotation marks, and appropriate citations provided. Instances where study design, manuscript structure, or language are influenced by prior works should be explicitly acknowledged through citations. All submissions undergo plagiarism screening using Turnitin, an industry-standard software. Detected plagiarism during peer review may result in manuscript rejection. Post-publication detection triggers an investigation aligned with our policies.

Our editorial team diligently investigates allegations of publication misconduct and, if warranted, may engage with authors’ institutions or funding bodies. Upon confirming any form of misconduct, appropriate actions will be taken to rectify or retract the publication. Authors are expected to uphold the highest ethical publication standards when engaging with this journal.

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Scientific Writing

Scope

This policy applies exclusively to the writing and editorial preparation of manuscripts submitted to Combinatorial Press journals. It does not cover the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for data analysis, statistical processing, image generation, or scientific computation performed as part of the research itself.

Responsible Use of AI in Writing

Combinatorial Press recognizes that generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, or similar tools) can support authors in improving the readability, grammar, and linguistic clarity of manuscripts.

Such tools may be used only under direct human supervision and control. Authors must carefully review, verify, and edit all AI-generated or AI-assisted text to ensure that it is accurate, unbiased, complete, and consistent with the authors’ intended meaning.

AI tools must not be credited as authors or co-authors, and they must not be cited as sources. Authorship implies accountability, intellectual contribution, and responsibility—roles that can only be fulfilled by human researchers.

Disclosure Requirement

Authors who use generative AI or AI-assisted tools during manuscript preparation must include a disclosure statement at the end of their manuscript, before the References section, in a new heading titled:
“Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process.”

The statement should follow this format:

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process
During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [SPECIFIC PURPOSE, e.g., improving language and readability]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed, edited, and verified all content as needed and take full responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the publication.

Exemptions

The above declaration does not apply to the use of routine software tools for:

  • Grammar or spell checking

  • Reference management

  • Formatting or layout adjustments

  • Plagiarism screening or similarity checking

If no generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were used during the writing process, no statement is required.

Accountability

Authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the entirety of their submitted work, including any text or material generated with the assistance of AI tools. Misrepresentation or undisclosed AI use may be treated as an ethical violation under Combinatorial Press’s publication ethics policy and the COPE guidelines.

Citation Ethics

Authors must adhere to meticulous citation practices to uphold scholarly integrity.

  • Accurate Attribution and Permissions: Authors are obligated to transparently acknowledge the origin of sourced materials, including their own previously published works, ensuring proper citation and, when necessary, obtaining requisite permissions.
  • Moderate Self-Citation: Authors should avoid excessive self-citation, maintaining a balanced reference list that encompasses a broad scope of relevant literature.
  • Prudent Referencing: Authors should only cite works they have genuinely consulted. Copying references without having read the cited material is discouraged.
  • Impartiality in Citing: Authors should not display favoritism by disproportionately citing their own, acquaintances’, colleagues’, or institution’s publications.
  • Avoidance of Advertisements: References to advertisements or advertorial content should be excluded from citations.

Guided by COPE principles, we emphasize that “verbatim excerpts extracted directly from the works of other researchers should be enclosed within quotation marks, accompanied by appropriate citations.” This principle extends to an author’s own work. COPE has developed a comprehensive discourse on citation ethics, offering recommendations for optimal practices.

Research Involving Human, Animals, Cell Lines or Plants Subjects

Research ethics serves as a fundamental framework governing scientific inquiries involving humans, animals, plants, and cells. It upholds the principles of respect, responsibility, and welfare for all living entities. In human research, informed consent, privacy, and protection of vulnerable populations are paramount. In animal research, the 3Rs principle, animal welfare, and ethical treatment guide experimental design. Plant research emphasizes biodiversity conservation, minimization of harm, and respect for indigenous knowledge. Ethical considerations in cell research encompass consent, genomic privacy, and proper use of stem cells. Adherence to ethical guidelines, regulatory bodies, and the principles of beneficence and justice ensures equitable and conscientious research practices across these diverse domains.

Research Ethics

Authors are urged to consider potential disputes related to borders and territories when describing their research or providing author or editor correspondence addresses. Combinatorial Press respects such concerns. Editorial decisions regarding content are made objectively, and in cases of perceived disputes or complaints, the editorial team endeavors to find a satisfactory resolution.

This Journal maintains neutrality concerning jurisdictional claims on published maps and institutional affiliations.

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