Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics and Good Publication Practices

Revista Ibérica do Direito is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity and publication ethics. The journal follows internationally recognized principles of good publication practice, including the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All parties involved in the publication process — editors, authors, reviewers and the publisher — are expected to act with integrity, transparency, confidentiality and respect for academic standards.

  1. Responsibilities of the Editorial Team

The Editorial Team is responsible for:

  • ensuring that manuscripts are evaluated fairly, impartially and according to their academic quality, originality, relevance and compliance with the journal's scope;
  • maintaining the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts;
  • selecting appropriate and independent reviewers;
  • taking appropriate action when concerns regarding research or publication ethics arise;
  • ensuring that conflicts of interest are properly identified and managed;
  • protecting the integrity of the journal's published record;
  • publishing corrections, retractions or expressions of concern when necessary;
  • ensuring that editorial decisions are not influenced by personal, institutional, political or commercial interests.

Editors shall not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for their own research or personal advantage.

  1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for:

  • submitting original and unpublished work;
  • ensuring that the manuscript is not simultaneously submitted to another journal;
  • properly acknowledging and citing all sources and contributions;
  • ensuring that all listed authors have made a significant contribution to the work and have approved the final version;
  • declaring relevant financial or non-financial conflicts of interest and sources of funding;
  • ensuring compliance with applicable ethical and legal requirements for research;
  • promptly informing the Editorial Team of any significant error identified in a submitted or published manuscript.

Plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data, duplicate publication, and other forms of research or publication misconduct are not accepted.

  1. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • maintain the confidentiality of all information contained in submitted manuscripts;
  • evaluate manuscripts objectively, fairly and constructively;
  • declare any conflict of interest and decline the review when impartiality may be compromised;
  • inform the editors of substantial similarities or possible plagiarism of which they become aware;
  • refrain from using unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal or professional advantage;
  • respect the deadlines agreed with the journal and inform the editors if they are unable to complete the review.
  1. Conflicts of Interest

Authors, editors and reviewers must disclose any financial, professional, institutional or personal relationship that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, the publication or evaluation of a manuscript.

The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent publication or participation in the editorial process, but appropriate measures will be taken to safeguard editorial independence and impartiality.

  1. Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence tools in manuscript preparation must be transparent and must comply with the journal's editorial policies. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality and integrity of their manuscripts.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts or unpublished material to publicly accessible AI systems.

  1. Misconduct and Unethical Behaviour

Suspected cases of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, manipulation of peer review or other forms of unethical behaviour may be reported to the Editorial Team at any time.

Allegations should be supported by sufficient information to allow an appropriate assessment. All concerns will be treated seriously and investigated confidentially and fairly, giving the parties involved an opportunity to respond.

Depending on the nature and severity of the case, the journal may take appropriate measures, including requesting clarification, issuing a warning, rejecting a manuscript, publishing a correction or editorial notice, retracting or withdrawing a published article, or contacting the relevant institution or other competent authority.

The journal follows applicable COPE guidance when addressing suspected publication misconduct.

  1. Corrections and Retractions

When an error or misconduct affects the integrity or reliability of the published record, the journal may publish a correction, retraction or expression of concern, as appropriate.

The journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency and long-term integrity of its scholarly record.