Ethical Rules

Reflexión Política has established a Code of Ethics that promotes principles of good conduct for the dissemination of scientific knowledge on Political Science derived from systematic research processes. To that end, below is a description of the commitments on the part of the Journal's Editorial/Scientific Committee, Peer Reviewers and Authors.

Part I: Commitments

Editorial/Scientific Committee

Group of recognized national and international experts with up-to-date scientific production whose function it is to guide the editorial policies and determine the topics and scope of the publication related to:

Positioning the journal Reflexión Política in terms of quality and the editorial process, thematic lines, dissemination, publication of unpublished material and the impact for the academic and scientific community.
Disseminating the published articles among members of Research Groups to which they pertain, as well as on Political Science academic networks and related areas.
Attend and actively participate in face-to-face and/or virtual conferences announced by the Journal Editor to make decisions related to the editorial policy, article selection and assigning peer reviewers.
Ensure compliance of the article review process through the double blind method.
Ensure compliance of the deadlines established by the Journal during the peer review process, which must not take more than 90 calendar days, aiming to keep the authors apprised of: (i) The reception of Articles, (ii) Analysis of originality, (iii) Review by the Editorial Committee upon receiving the article, (iv) Assign peer reviewers, (v) Evaluation by peer reviewers and; (vi) Communicate to authors.
Detect and take corrective action in the event of any malpractice on the part of the authors, reviewers or members of the Editorial/Scientific Committee during the editorial process for article publication in the journal Reflexión Política.
Receive and process any notices of requests, complaints, claims or comments related to articles published by the journal. Additionally, publish any corrections to documents published by the journal.
Maintain the scientific production up to date in CvLAC, ResearchGate, ORCID, Google Scholar, and other databases and platforms in which the Journal is currently recognized.

Peer reviewers:

Group of outstanding national and international experts on thematic lines relevant to Political Science whose function is to conduct a critical evaluation of the documents submitted to the journal and issue an opinion and duly detailed recommendations about the documents in question.

To that end, they shall:

Complete a review of the assigned document within 30 calendar days. In the event that the Reviewer is unable to complete the review in the time frames stipulated by the journal, he/she shall inform the Editor so that the review can be assigned to another Peer Reviewer.
Maintain confidentiality of the document assigned for review, and refrain from showing it to third parties.
Submit the completed review form with observations, comments and suggestions to be taken into consideration by the author.
Maintain the scientific production up to date in CvLAC, ResearchGate, ORCID and Google Scholar.

Authors:

Researchers, professors, post-graduate and doctoral students that submit articles derived from research projects to the journal on topics related to Political Science. The authors are required to:
Submit an original, unpublished article, which has not be submitted to another magazine, unless it has been rejected during the Editorial Process.
Comply with the guidelines for submitting articles for publication established by Reflexión Política in the Guidelines for Authors section.
Provide timely responses to questions or concerns posed by the Editor or Peer Reviewers related to the originality and unpublished nature of the document.
Take into consideration the observations and recommendations made by the Peer Reviewers for correction of the scientific articles.
Submit to the Journal in a timely manner any information requested by the Editor and/or

Editorial Assistant during the editorial process.

Maintain the scientific production up to date in CvLAC, ResearchGate, ORCID and Google Scholar.

Part II: Inappropriate conducts not tolerated by the authors

Submit the document to more than one Journal.
Plagiarism of information presented in the document, to which end the Journal will make use of the anti-plagiarism platform ithenticate.
Refuse to make the adjustments recommended by the Peer Reviewers.
Unjustified withdrawal of the document during the editorial process.

Consequently, if any of the aforementioned conducts are detected in the articles submitted to Reflexión Política, the Editorial/Scientific Committee shall review each particular case and apply any corrections deemed pertinent.

Part III: Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Given the significant impact of scientific journals on the dissemination of knowledge, ethics in editorial management are fundamental to maintaining the trust of the scientific community and society at large, guaranteeing integrity, credibility, and transparency in the publication process. The main ethical responsibilities of editors in UNAB scientific journals are detailed below:

3.1. Impartial Selection and Evaluation of Manuscripts

Objective Review. Editors must ensure that articles are evaluated objectively, based on their scientific quality and relevance, not on personal, commercial, or affinity factors. The review should be geared toward improving the quality of the content, not toward external influences.
Avoiding Bias. It is essential that editors avoid any type of bias, whether based on gender, institutional affiliation, ideological orientation, etc., in the article selection and review process. Editorial decisions must be based exclusively on the scientific merit of the work.

3.2. Transparency in the Editorial Process

Clarity in Evaluation Criteria: Editors must provide authors and reviewers with clear criteria regarding publication standards, types of evaluation, and procedures to follow in the review process.
Clear Management of Conflicts of Interest: Editors must declare any personal or institutional conflicts of interest that could influence their ability to make impartial decisions. If an editor has a conflict of interest with an author or topic, they must abstain from participating in the article's evaluation.
Open Communication with Authors: Editors must maintain fluid and transparent communication with authors, informing them of decisions regarding the status of their manuscripts (accepted, rejected, revisions requested, etc.) and reviewers' comments in a clear and constructive manner.

3.3. Guarantee of Scientific Integrity

Prevention of Plagiarism: Editors have the responsibility to ensure that all published articles are original and that there is no plagiarism or misrepresentation of sources. They must use plagiarism detection tools and apply the corresponding policies upon any finding.
Control of data falsification. Editors must take strict measures to prevent the publication of falsified, manipulated, or fabricated data. They must ensure that articles are transparent regarding methods and results and must follow appropriate procedures in case of suspected fraud.
Appropriate peer review. Ensure that articles are reviewed by competent and qualified experts in the field of study, guaranteeing the scientific validity and quality of the content. Editors must select impartial reviewers with the necessary experience.

3.4. Confidentiality and ethical handling of information

Protection of confidentiality. Editors must ensure that received manuscripts are treated confidentially throughout the editorial process. They must not disclose details about the content or results of articles without the authors' consent.
Management of intellectual property. Editors must respect copyright and intellectual property regulations. They must ensure that published articles properly acknowledge the sources and copyright of the authors and other involved parties.

3.5. Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Equity in the representation of authors and topics. Editors must ensure the inclusion of authors from diverse geographies, genders, and disciplines, promoting diversity both in the topics covered and in the scientific collaborators involved.
Accessibility and equity. Editors must ensure that the publication process is accessible to researchers from all areas of the world, regardless of their financial resources. This includes considering open access models and ensuring that publication costs are not a barrier for researchers.

3.6. Ethical Management of Publication

Correction of errors and retractions: Editors must ensure that, in the event of errors, malpractice, or falsification of data in published articles, they are appropriately and publicly corrected or retracted. This includes updating articles to reflect changes, corrections, or the retraction of works that present ethical flaws.

Ethical scientific advertising. Editors must ensure that any sponsored or advertising content is clearly distinguished from scientific content and that no undue influence is exerted on articles in exchange for commercial interests.

3.7. Respect for contributions

Appropriate Author Acknowledgment. Editors must ensure that all authors receive appropriate acknowledgment for their work, ensuring that the authors are those who have made significant contributions to the article. Furthermore, they must respect authorship decisions and requests to remove or add authors according to scientific criteria.
Reviewer Acknowledgment. Reviewers must be acknowledged for their work and contribution to the peer review process, either formally (in the article acknowledgments) or through other forms of recognition within the journal.

3.8. Commitment to Research Ethics

Compliance with Research Ethics Standards. Editors must ensure that articles published in the journal comply with international and local ethical standards for scientific research, such as those concerning human intervention, obtaining informed consent, and ethical data management.
Clear Image Manipulation Policy. Editors must ensure that images and graphics included in articles have not been improperly manipulated. They must adopt strict policies for the review of images and figures, ensuring that ethical principles are followed in their presentation.

3.9. Responsibility for Continuous Improvement

Promotion of Self-Regulation. Editors must foster a culture of self-regulation within the journal, regularly reviewing and updating their editorial policies to align them with the most current ethical standards and best practices in the scientific field.
Ongoing Review of the Editorial Process. Editors must conduct periodic evaluations of editorial processes and the effectiveness of the peer review system, taking into account feedback from authors, reviewers, and readers to improve the quality and transparency of the editorial process.

3.10. Accessibility and Promotion of Open Science

Promotion of Open Access. Editors must promote open access policies that facilitate free and open access to scientific articles, ensuring that research results are accessible to the entire academic community and the general public, always respecting copyright and applicable licenses.
Data and Material Sharing. Editors should encourage the practice of sharing data, research materials, and protocols used in studies to enable the replicability of experiments and promote transparency in science.

3.11. Commitment to Ethics in Peer Review.

Impartial Selection of Reviewers. Editors should select expert, competent, and neutral reviewers with no conflicts of interest with the authors. Reviewers should have the appropriate training and authority to evaluate scientific work fairly and accurately.
Constructive and Fair Evaluation. Editors should ensure that reviewer evaluations are constructive, respectful, and helpful in improving the author's work, without personal or derogatory comments.

3.12. Ongoing Professional Development

Continuous Ethics Training. Editors should commit to ongoing training in editorial ethics, staying up-to-date on best practices, developments in international standards, and new regulations affecting the scientific field.

These ethical responsibilities in the editorial management of scientific journals are essential to maintaining the integrity and value of scientific research, ensuring that the publication process is fair and transparent, and promoting trust in the scientific community.

Part IV: Publication Ethics Statement

In order to maintain the highest ethical standards in all aspects of our operations, we have established the following ethics statement to guide the conduct of our editorial team, authors, and reviewers.

4.1. Ethical Guidelines for Editors

Our editors are responsible for ensuring that all published content adheres to ethical guidelines. As such, they will ensure that:

The editorial decision-making process is objective, transparent, and free from any commercial or personal interests.
Any conflicts of interest, whether real or perceived, are identified and disclosed to the relevant parties.
All submitted manuscripts will be treated confidentially, and any information related to the manuscript will be kept confidential.
Any suspected unethical conduct or practices will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken.
The editorial team takes steps to ensure that any published research involving human subjects, animals, or potentially hazardous materials adheres to relevant ethical guidelines.

4.2. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research complies with established ethical guidelines. As such, they will ensure that:

The research presented in the manuscript is original and has not been published elsewhere.
The manuscript is free from plagiarism, falsification, or data fabrication.
Any potential conflicts of interest are disclosed in the manuscript.
Any research involving human subjects, animals, or potentially hazardous materials complies with relevant ethical guidelines, and the necessary permissions have been obtained.
The manuscript is written in clear and concise language, and the research is presented accurately and impartially.

4.3. Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the quality and integrity of our journals. As such, they will ensure that:

The review process is objective, transparent, and free from any commercial or personal interests.
Any conflicts of interest, whether real or perceived, are identified and disclosed to the editorial team.
Any suspected misconduct or unethical behavior is reported to the editorial team.

Consequently, if any of the aforementioned behaviors are detected in articles submitted to Reflexión Política, the Editorial/Scientific Committee will review each case individually to apply the appropriate corrective measures.

Part V: Informed Consent Policy, Corrections, and Retractions

Informed consent is an essential requirement for the publication of research involving human subjects or animals. It is important that all manuscripts declare, within their ethical responsibilities, the processing of personal data and information related to people and animals.

It must be indicated whether the guidelines established by COPE were followed and whether such consents were verified by the respective ethics committee.

Regarding plagiarism, the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga declares that plagiarism is a detrimental condition that limits the institution's scientific progress, and condemns this action in all professional spheres. Consequently, the publication of scientific articles in the various institutional journals that are not the authors' own work is prohibited. The institution uses Turnitin software, which performs a plagiarism check on articles prior to publication. Once the originality of the publication is confirmed, the editorial process can continue in each journal. The Autonomous University of Bucaramanga (UNAB) will continuously monitor these actions in each journal, promoting original publication as a key tool for the progress of its institutional journals.

Plagiarism has different levels of severity, and the journal's conduct as the publishing body depends on this level of severity.

In this regard, UNAB adheres to the recommendations established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for the various scenarios.

In cases of suspected plagiarism in manuscripts submitted for review, the journal adheres to the following protocol: https://publicationethics.org/files/plagiarism%20A.pdf

In cases of suspected plagiarism in already published manuscripts, the journal will consider retracting the article and will adhere to the following protocol: https://publicationethics.org/files/plagiarism%20B.pdf

Furthermore, authors or readers may write to the journal to report errors in the publication that may require correction. If these errors affect the interpretation of the data and invalidate the work, the corresponding retraction will be published.

Requests, petitions, complaints and claims

The journal offers any interested party the option of submitting requests, complaints, claims and/or suggestions on topics within our purview through the following communication channels:

Email: reflepol@unab.edu.co

Telephone No.: 6436111 ext. 293 or 497

Visit us in person or send requests in writing to: Av. 42 # 86 – 11, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Institute of Political Studies, Library Building. Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Journal sponsors

Reflexión Política is funded by Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga and is open to access by the academic and scientific community.