6. Action to be Taken in the Event of Unethical Behavior

  1. If an ethical violation is found, it should be reported to an editor-in-chief of a scientific journal. The reporter must provide substantiated evidence of the misconduct in order for an investigation to be launched.
  2. The initial investigation is carried out by an editor-in-chief. Confidentiality must be respected when gathering evidence and supporting facts.  
  3. No investigation is required in the case of a minor infringement. For any infringement found, an author must be given the opportunity to provide an explanation.
  4. In the event of serious misconduct, an editor-in-chief of a scientific journal, in consultation with SPMD, decides whether to contact the author's employer or to conduct further investigations involving external experts.
  5. If a serious ethical violation is found, an editor-in-chief of a scientific journal, in consultation with SPMD, shall submit the evidence and supporting facts to the RTA Ethics Commission for consideration, proposing one of the following measures:
    • an author or reviewer is informed of the unethical behavior and receives a written warning,
    • an information letter is sent to the author's or reviewer's place of employment,
    • the author's or reviewer's place of employment is contacted and a publication is withdrawn from a scientific journal and its indexing databases,
    • an editor-in-chief, in consultation with SPMD, shall determine the period during which the author's papers will not be accepted for publication,
    • a report on the violation and its consequences shall be drawn up and sent to the relevant professional body or higher authority for further investigation and action.

References: 

COPE Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines/principles-transparency-and-best-practice-scholarly-publishing  

Code of Ethics for Scientists (2.9-2.14) of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. https://www.lza.lv/par-mums/pamatdokumenti/64-zinatnieka-etikas-kodekss  

RTA Code of Ethics. https://rulv.sharepoint.com/Iekjie%20noteikumi/Forms/AllItems.aspx?viewpath=%2FIekjie%20noteikumi%2FForms%2FAllItems%2Easpx&id=%2FIekjie%20noteikumi%2F01%2ERTA%20Normat%C4%ABvie%20akti%2Dpubliskai%20piek%C4%BCuvei%2FRTA%20normat%C4%ABvie%20akti%20publiskai%20piek%C4%BCuvei%20latvie%C5%A1u%20valod%C4%81%2F01%20%C4%92tikas%20kodekss%2020221129%2Epdf&q=kodekss&parent=%2FIekjie%20noteikumi&parentview=7  

RTA Regulations on Academic Integrity. https://rulv.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7BA372CC07-4EE4-477B-8C90-F8725151AD03%7D&file=Noteikumi%20par%20akad%C4%93misko%20god%C4%ABgumu%2020221129.docx&action=default&mobileredirect=true  

RTU Press Publication Ethics Guidelines. https://www.rtu.lv/lv/zinatne/publikacijas/rtu-izdevniecibas-publikaciju-etikas-vadlinijas