Suspected Copyright Infringement

Procedure for Handling Reports of Suspected Copyright Infringement

1. Purpose of the Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to establish the principles governing the Editorial Board's response to reports of suspected copyright infringement, violations of intellectual property rights, or breaches of publication ethics concerning manuscripts submitted to or published in Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis. Studia ad Didacticam Scientiarum Socialium Pertinentia.

2. Scope of the Procedure

This procedure applies to all reports concerning:

  • plagiarism or self-plagiarism;
  • copyright infringement;
  • unauthorized use of texts, research data, illustrations, tables, photographs, or other materials protected by copyright;
  • use of copyrighted materials without the required permission of the copyright holder;
  • any other infringement of intellectual property rights related to manuscripts submitted to or published in the journal.

3. Reporting Suspected Infringement

A report may be submitted to the Editorial Board by an author, reviewer, reader, academic institution, or any other individual or organization possessing information about a suspected infringement.

A report should include:

  • the identity of the reporting person (unless submitted anonymously);
  • a description of the suspected infringement;
  • identification of the publication or materials concerned;
  • any available evidence or information supporting the allegation.

4. Preliminary Assessment

Upon receipt of a report, the Editorial Board shall conduct a preliminary assessment by examining the information provided and, where appropriate, using plagiarism-detection software or other suitable tools to verify the originality of the submitted work.

If the report is clearly unfounded or does not contain sufficient information to enable an assessment, the Editorial Board may decide not to initiate further proceedings.

5. Investigation

Where the report is considered credible, the Editorial Board shall:

  • notify the corresponding author that an investigation has been initiated;
  • provide the author with an opportunity to submit explanations and any relevant supporting documentation;
  • examine the statements and evidence presented by all parties concerned;
  • where necessary, consult reviewers, members of the Scientific Board, or independent experts.

The investigation shall be conducted impartially, confidentially, and with due respect for the right of all parties to present their explanations.

6. Editorial Decision

Following completion of the investigation, the Editorial Board shall adopt a decision proportionate to the nature and severity of the infringement.

Such measures may include:

  • dismissal of the case where no infringement has been confirmed;
  • requesting the author to correct the manuscript or provide the necessary permissions;
  • rejection of the manuscript;
  • publication of a correction or erratum;
  • retraction of the published article;
  • notification of the author's affiliated institution or other competent authorities where the seriousness of the infringement so requires.

7. Confidentiality

All information relating to the report and the investigation shall be treated as confidential and disclosed only to individuals directly involved in the investigation, unless disclosure is required by applicable law.

8. Documentation

The Editorial Board shall document the course of the proceedings and retain all related documentation in accordance with applicable legal requirements and the journal's document retention policy.

9. Legal and Ethical Framework

This procedure is implemented in accordance with applicable copyright legislation, principles of good research practice, and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) concerning the handling of publication ethics and intellectual property issues.