Plagiarism Policy

Bulletin of Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University. Series of Psychological Sciences maintains a strict policy against plagiarism and all forms of academic misconduct. Manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all ideas, words, data, images, and other materials obtained from other sources are properly acknowledged and referenced.

All submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism-detection software or other appropriate editorial checks. If substantial similarity, unattributed copying, duplicate publication, self-plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or other forms of academic misconduct are identified, the editorial team may reject the manuscript. Where misconduct is discovered after publication, the journal may take appropriate corrective action, including publication of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the severity of the case.

Authors must not manipulate research data, results, citations, images, or other scholarly materials. Any use of previously published material must be appropriately cited and, where necessary, supported by permission from the copyright holder. Proper attribution must also be given to all individuals who have made significant contributions to the research.

The journal expects authors, reviewers, and editors to uphold high standards of research integrity and publication ethics. Suspected cases of plagiarism or other misconduct may be investigated by the editorial team, and authors may be asked to provide clarification or supporting documentation. Serious cases may be referred to the relevant institution or other appropriate authority.

The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts or take post-publication action when academic integrity violations are established.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Authors may use artificial intelligence tools for limited purposes such as language improvement, proofreading, or assistance with manuscript preparation, provided that such use does not compromise the originality, accuracy, or integrity of the work. AI-generated content must not be presented as independent human research or authorship.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, references, data, interpretations, and conclusions contained in their manuscripts. AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Where AI tools have been used substantially in preparing the manuscript, authors should disclose the nature and extent of that use to the editorial office. The use of AI does not exempt authors from the journal’s requirements concerning plagiarism, copyright, confidentiality, and research ethics.