THE ETHIC OF PUBLICATION
(in accordance with guidelines of COPE and Elsevier)

DUTIES OF EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor in chief of "Polimery" journal takes a decision about publicating a proposed paper, taking into consideration mainly scientific character of analysis and accordance with thematic profile of a journal, as well as trying to eliminate the cases of plagiarism and practices known as authorship and ghostwritting.

Papers are evaluated on the basis of their quality and significance for a scientific journal, no mater what is his/her background, nationality, ethnic roots, political views, sex, race or faith.

Editorial staff of "Polimery" journal is obliged to keep all obtained informations in secret on every stage of publication process, considering work, except for informations revealed by a scientific journal.

Informations obtained in process of publication can not be used by editorial staff or revievers without clear, written consent of an author.

In case of complains about violation of scientific publication ethic's rules, directed to editors of "Polimery", an author/authors of a proposed paper are informed in writting about accusations with a request of taking a stand. In case of lack of answer, an institution where authors are affilated is informed.

Positively evaluated by at least two external reviewers paper is directed to publication. In case of the conditional acceptance to publication ( when revievers insist on changes and/or complements), author is informed in writing about necessity of a papers correction.

Negative evaluatiom of two reviewers results in rejection of a paper, an author is informed about it in writing.

DUTIES OF REVIEWERS

Every paper proposed to publication is reviewed by at least two independent, external reviewers. Established by "Polimery" journal procedure called double-blind, guarantees that an author and reviewers do not know the identity one of another.

Reviewer asked for evaluating of proposed paper is obliged to inform editorial staff about his inability to evaluate a paper, because of lack of qualifications or time. in such a case a paper is passed down to other reviewer.

A paper passed down to review is treated as confidential. Reviewer must not show or discus a paper with anyone unless he/she is a member of editorial staff in "Polimery" journal. Results of researches, data, opinions and theories contained in a paper proposed for publication must not be used by  a reviewer in his/her own researches before publication of a paper. An objective evaluation of a paper is a basic duty of a reviewer. Any comments, evaluations and suggestions should be  pointed clearly and supported by arguments.

In process of reviewing, the following criteria are taken into consideration: an original and scientific character of proposed paper, an accordance with thematic profile of a journal, a way of realization of scientific targets and clear presentation of scientific problem, a proper using of a literature, a proper justification of theories and conclusions. Detailed rules of reviewing, accepted by a "Polimery" journal are placed on internet page in chapter "Recenzje". Reviever informs an editorial staff about suspection of plagiarysm made by person proposing a paper to publication, pointing a suspected part/parts of a paper.

DUTIES OF AUTHORS

Reliability is the basic factor of scientific researches quality. Authors should present the results of their researches in reliable, credible, honest and undoubted way.Only scientific papers of original character, that were naither published nor proposed to publication in other journal, monography or collective work may be publicated in "Polimery" journal. Proposing the same paper to  publication in several places is unethical and unacceptable.

A key criterion of evaluation of proposed paper is also objectivity of analysis and undoubted presentation of a scientific problem. Untrue theories, false results of researches, manipulation of data, are considered as unethical and unacceptable. In every case, when in a paper any theories, results of researches or data complied by other authors are quoted, such a part must be marked with footnote and/or run in a form of quotation. Authors should prepare paper on the basis of the newest literature of  subject important for a presentation of scientific problem. Any information obtained in conversation or correspondence with other persons may be quoted in paper only after having clear, written permision of such a persons.

Cases of so called guest authorship and ghostwritting are considered as unethical and unacceptable. An authorship is restricted to persons who had significant influence on establishing of conception, thesis, methods of researches and realization of scientific concpt. In case of preparing a paper by several authors, everyone of them is obliged to make a statement about his/her contribution in creating a paper. Everyone of them must give separate permision for proposing a paper in "Polimery" journal.

PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF PLAGIARISM

All kinds of a plagiarism are uethical and unacceptable.

In case of a plagiarism suspection, an editorial staff of "Polimery" journal apply a controlling procedure with reviewers and a person proposing a paper. In case of confirmation of unlawful using of text, theories, researches results, data, autor of a paper proposed to publication is informed in writing about rejection of a paper.In case of lack of answer, an institution where an author is affiliated is informed. In case of so called autoplagiarism when author in a paper proposed to a publication runs parts of his own, publicated earlier paper, editorial staff of "Polimery" journal informs in writing about refusal to a paper publication because of lack df original character of analysis.