Publication Ethics, Misconduct, Errata, and Retractions

The Brazilian Journal of Urban and Regional Studies adheres to ethical principles that emphasize transparency in editorial procedures, confidentiality of information contained in submitted manuscripts, and fairness, impartiality, objectivity, and scientific rigor in the assessment of the relevance and academic standards of submitted works.

Following the recommendations for best editorial practices established by internationally recognized organizations, such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), RBEUR implements a set of procedures guiding all participants in the editorial process—authors, editors, and reviewers.

 

  1. Authors should:
  • ensure that submitted manuscripts are original and unpublished and are not under consideration by other journals, although works previously presented or published in conference proceedings, institutional repositories, or the authors’ personal pages may be accepted.
  • identify the contribution of each co-author.
  • acknowledge all authors whose works or statements have been cited or used as references in the submitted manuscript.
  • respond clearly and promptly to questions and requests from RBEUR throughout the peer-review process.
  • prepare corrections, clarifications, retractions, or apologies in cases where plagiarism, fraud, and/or errors have been detected, which may include the removal of the manuscript from the digital platforms where RBEUR publications are disseminated.
  • immediately notify the editorial board if any errors are discovered in the material under review.
  • disclose any conflicts of interest.
  • assume full responsibility for the content of the submitted work.
  • use artificial intelligence tools only as an aid, under human supervision, in the following cases:
    • searching, systematizing, and organizing bibliographic references;
    • preparing and organizing databases, as well as creating tables, charts, and figures; and
    • reviewing the text for grammatical and orthographic accuracy, in accordance with standard language conventions.
  1. Editors should:
  • assess the relevance and academic quality of manuscripts submitted to RBEUR, adhering to the journal’s principles of fairness, impartiality, objectivity, and scientific rigor.
  • maintain the anonymity of authors and reviewers throughout the peer-review process.
  • decide on the publication of manuscripts that, even if accepted, do not comply with the journal’s ethical and editorial standards.
  • ensure the absence of conflicts of interest regarding manuscripts, authors, and/or funders throughout the editorial process.
  • respond responsibly and promptly to any allegations of errors and/or misconduct, ensuring that all parties have the opportunity to be heard.
  • safeguard the integrity of individuals and institutions affected by misconduct through the publication of corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies. 
  1. Reviewers should:
  • ensure the confidentiality of data in manuscripts under review, and refrain from storing copies of unpublished materials on personal devices.
  • guarantee that the review process is fair, objective, and efficient, exercising diligence and impartiality while assisting the editorial board in decision-making.
  • disclose any potential conflicts of interest concerning manuscripts, authors, and/or funders.
  • notify the editorial board of any suspected plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or other forms of author misconduct.
  • refrain from using generative artificial intelligence tools to write or prepare reviews, as the RBEUR evaluation process depends on the critical judgment and ethical responsibility of reviewers. If AI tools are employed for secondary tasks, such as language editing or literature searches, their use must be explicitly indicated in the “Comments to Editors” field of the review.

Once misconduct has been verified, the following measures may be adopted, depending on the severity of the case:

  1. A written warning to those found to have engaged in misconduct, accompanied by a caution regarding the risks of similar situations in the future.
  2. Publication of corrections or clarifications by the authors whose scientific text contains any type of error or inconsistency.
  3. Withdrawal of the manuscript from the journal’s website and other dissemination platforms, along with the publication of a retraction notice and an apology addressed to the affected parties.