I. General Principles
This Code of Ethics establishes the principles, standards, and responsibilities governing the receipt, evaluation, review, editing, and publication of works submitted to Espacialidades.
This Code is based on international best practices in editorial ethics, particularly the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), and the SciELO Network.
The journal is guided by the following principles:
• Scientific integrity: commitment to the truthfulness, accuracy, and soundness of the knowledge produced.
• Intellectual honesty: explicit acknowledgment of sources, ideas, and academic contributions.
• Transparency: clarity in editorial processes and in communication with authors, reviewers, and readers.
• Responsibility: acceptance of the consequences arising from the production, evaluation, and dissemination of knowledge.
• Impartiality: evaluation based exclusively on academic and scientific criteria.
• Confidentiality: protection of information and guarantee of anonymity during the editorial process.
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II. Scope
The provisions of this Code are mandatory for all persons involved in the journal’s editorial process, including:
• authors and co-authors
• members of the Editorial Board
• editor-in-chief and editorial team
• reviewers
• external contributors
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III. Authors’ Responsibilities
Authors must comply with the following obligations:
1. Originality and unpublished status
Manuscripts submitted for review must be original, unpublished, and not simultaneously under review by another publication. This condition must be verified through the documentation required by the journal.
2. Academic rigor and integrity
Authors are responsible for:
• the accuracy of the data presented
• the methodological integrity of the research
• the logical consistency of the manuscript
• the traceability and verifiability of the results
Any form of fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or concealment of data or results is prohibited.
3. Legitimate Authorship
Authorship should be limited to those who have made substantial contributions to the research and the preparation of the manuscript. The authors must have reviewed and approved the final version submitted for evaluation.
4. Proper use of sources
Authors must:
• correctly cite all sources used
• avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism
• adhere to the citation system established by the journal
• ensure that citations match the bibliographic references
5. Research Ethics
When the nature of the research requires it, authors must:
• obtain informed consent from participants
• protect their identity and privacy
• comply with applicable national and institutional ethical guidelines
6. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, academic, or personal conflicts of interest that may influence the content of the research or the editorial process.
7. Correction of Errors
Authors must promptly inform the journal of any significant errors detected in their work before or after publication, and cooperate in the processes of correction, clarification, or retraction when appropriate.
8. Use of Artificial Intelligence
Espacialidades acknowledges that artificial intelligence tools can assist with certain manuscript preparation tasks. Their use must comply with the following criteria:
a) Permitted uses:
• style editing
• linguistic review
• translation
• preliminary organization of ideas
• identification or suggestion of references, provided they are verified by the authors
b) Prohibited uses:
• automated drafting of substantive sections of the manuscript
• generation of analyses, interpretations, or academic conclusions
• Fabrication, alteration, or manipulation of data
• Generation of non-existent or unverified citations or references
Any use of artificial intelligence tools must be explicitly disclosed in the manuscript and in the supplementary documentation required by the journal.
Responsibility for the content rests exclusively with the authors. No artificial intelligence tool may be considered an author or co-author of a manuscript.
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IV. Responsibilities of the Editorial Board and the Editorial Team
The Editorial Board and the editorial team are responsible for preserving the journal’s academic integrity.
Their duties include:
• evaluating the relevance, quality, and scientific rigor of the manuscripts
• ensuring that editorial decisions are based exclusively on academic criteria
• ensuring processes free from discrimination on personal, social, cultural, political, or any other grounds
• overseeing compliance with editorial policies
• ensuring the confidentiality of manuscripts and the review processes
• ensure the proper implementation of the double-blind peer review system
• Identify, investigate, and address potential academic or editorial misconduct
• Issue corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary
• act in accordance with the recommendations and protocols established by COPE
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V. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers must:
• accept only evaluations related to their area of expertise
• issue well-reasoned, clear, objective, and respectful reviews
• meet the deadlines established by the journal
• maintain strict confidentiality regarding the content of the manuscripts
• disclose any conflict of interest that could compromise their objectivity
• inform the Editorial Board of any suspected unethical conduct or academic misconduct detected during the review
The following is prohibited:
• using information contained in the manuscripts for personal gain or the benefit of third parties
• sharing or disclosing the evaluated content
• unduly influencing the inclusion of citations or references for personal gain
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VI. Editorial Process
The editorial process of Espacialidades comprises the following stages:
- Similarity detection using specialized software.
- Preliminary editorial review to verify compliance with submission guidelines, anonymization, and the formal quality of the manuscript.
- Initial evaluation by the Editorial Committee to determine the thematic relevance and academic rigor of the submission.
- Double-blind peer review, involving at least two external reviewers.
- Editorial decision.
Editorial decisions may consist of:
• acceptance without changes
• acceptance with minor suggestions
• acceptance conditional on revisions
• rejection
All evaluations will be based on criteria of academic quality, originality, coherence, methodological rigor, and contribution to the field of study.
The entire editorial process must be transparent, documented, and verifiable.
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VII. Academic Integrity, Confidentiality, and Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest is considered to be any relationship, circumstance, or connection that may compromise, or appear to compromise, the objectivity, independence, or impartiality of the individuals involved in the editorial process.
All participating parties must promptly disclose any conflict of interest.
Confidentiality
All individuals involved in the editorial process must:
• safeguard the information contained in the manuscripts
• not disclose content, data, or editorial decisions without authorization
• preserve the anonymity inherent in the double-blind review system
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VIII. Plagiarism and Misconduct
The following constitute serious offenses:
• plagiarism in any form
• self-plagiarism
• fabrication of data
• falsification or manipulation of results
• misappropriation of ideas or academic contributions
• use of materials without the appropriate authorizations
• misuse of artificial intelligence tools
• Omission or concealment of conflicts of interest
Upon detection of any of these behaviors, the journal may take one or more of the following measures:
• Immediate rejection of the manuscript
• suspension or cancellation of the review process
• Temporary or permanent exclusion from future calls for submissions
• Notification to the relevant affiliated institutions
• publication of corrections, clarifications, or retractions
• Any other editorial measures consistent with COPE recommendations
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IX. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
Espacialidades is committed to the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the academic record. When errors, omissions, or possible irregularities are detected in published works, the journal will act in accordance with the principles established in this Code and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Corrections
The journal will publish corrections when errors are identified that do not compromise the overall validity of a paper’s results, arguments, or conclusions, but whose rectification is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the academic record.
Corrections may be requested by the authors, by readers, or by the editorial team.
Expressions of Concern
The journal may issue an expression of concern when there are reasonable grounds for suspecting potential ethical or academic misconduct and the corresponding in- y investigation has not been concluded or there is not yet sufficient evidence to reach a definitive decision.
The expression of concern will remain linked to the article until the case is resolved.
Retractions
The journal may retract an article when any of the following situations are confirmed:
• substantial plagiarism or self-plagiarism
• fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data
• misappropriation of academic ideas or materials
• serious ethical violations in the conduct of research
• concealment of relevant conflicts of interest
• misuse of artificial intelligence tools
• any other conduct that compromises the validity, integrity, or reliability of the published work
Retractions will be made public, will be duly substantiated, and will remain linked to the corresponding article in order to preserve the transparency and integrity of the academic record.
Responsibility of the Authors
Authors must promptly inform the journal of any significant errors detected in their work and cooperate in any necessary correction, clarification, or retraction procedures.
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X. Final Provisions
This Code of Ethics is mandatory for all individuals and entities involved in the editorial processes of Espacialidades.
Ethical disputes will be analyzed and resolved by the Editorial Committee in accordance with the journal’s policies, the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the criteria established by the indexes, directories, and academic information systems to which the publication is affiliated.
The journal may request additional information, supplementary documentation, or the intervention of the relevant affiliated institutions when necessary to clarify possible ethical violations.
Non-compliance with the provisions contained in this Code may result in editorial measures, including the rejection of manuscripts, the suspension of review processes, the retraction of publications, or any other action deemed appropriate to safeguard the journal’s academic integrity.
This Code may be updated periodically to incorporate new international recommendations and strengthen Espacialidades’ best editorial practices.
This final clause regarding updates is generally recommended because it allows the Code to be modified in the future without the need to formally justify each change.