Ethics, Good Practices, and Relationship with Communities

The journal EntreAções: diálogos em extensão is committed to editorial integrity, respect for communities, and the responsible dissemination of extension activities.

This policy sets out the responsibilities of the authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the submission, review, and publication process for works, including articles, experience reports, interviews, and other technical and scientific extension productions.

 

1. Authorship and participation in the work

Only individuals who effectively took part in the reported activity and made a relevant contribution to preparing the work should be listed as authors.

Individuals listed as authors are expected to have taken part in stages such as:

• planning or carrying out the activity;
• producing, organizing, or analyzing the information;
• drafting or critically revising the text;
• approving the final version submitted to the journal.

All authors must be familiar with the submitted content and take responsibility for the work.

When the extension activity involves students, professionals, institutions, social movements, or community members, this participation must be acknowledged in the text, even when these individuals do not meet the formal authorship criteria.

Acknowledgment may be given in the description of the activity, in the acknowledgments section, or in another appropriate section.

 

2. Originality and improper use of other texts

Submitted works must be original and must not be under review by another journal.

It is not permitted to present content produced by other people, in whole or in part, as one's own without proper indication of the source.

The journal uses the Plagius system to help identify similarities between the submitted work and other available content.

The existence of similarities does not automatically constitute plagiarism. Results will be analyzed by the editorial team, taking into account:

• the context in which the passages appear;
• the appropriate use of citations;
• the indication of sources;
• the extent of the matches found;
• the possible improper reuse of texts previously published by the authors themselves.

When problems are identified, the journal may request clarification or corrections, suspend the review, or reject the work.

 

3. Respect for communities and participants

Works must present extension activities in a respectful and responsible manner, consistent with the dignity of the people and communities involved.

The community must not be treated merely as an object of intervention, a data source, or a backdrop for the activity. Whenever possible, the text should acknowledge the community's participation in the design, implementation, and assessment of the extension activity.

Descriptions that do any of the following should be avoided:

• reinforce prejudice or stereotypes;
• expose people to embarrassment;
• portray social groups in a demeaning manner;
• disregard the knowledge, experiences, and forms of organization of the communities;
• disclose information that could cause harm to the people involved.

Extra care is required when the work involves children, adolescents, older adults, people with disabilities, traditional peoples and communities, people in situations of social vulnerability, or other groups subject to discrimination, exposure, or violence.

 

4. Use of names, images, and statements

When the work allows people or groups to be identified through names, photographs, videos, audio recordings, statements, testimonials, or other information, authorization for publication is required.

Authors must inform the journal, when requested, how consent was obtained.

When there is no authorization to identify the participants, measures must be taken to protect their identity, such as:

• removing names;
• using fictitious names;
• concealing faces or other identifying elements;
• excluding information that would allow the person or group to be recognized.

Consent to take part in an extension activity does not, by itself, constitute authorization to publish names, images, or testimonials. Authorization for disclosure must be clear and consistent with the published content, in accordance with applicable legislation, such as Brazil's General Data Protection Law (LGPD, Law 13.709/2018).

 

5. Works involving research with human subjects

Not every extension experience report constitutes research with human subjects.

However, when the work presents research involving participants, systematic data collection, questionnaires, interviews, interventions, or other activities subject to research ethics standards, the authors must provide:

• the Research Ethics Committee responsible for the review;
• the approval opinion number;
• information on participant consent, when applicable.

When the research is exempt from ethical review, the authors must present the corresponding justification or regulatory basis, if this information is requested by the editorial team.

Responsibility for verifying the need to submit the research to a Research Ethics Committee rests with the authors and their institutions.

 

6. Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest exists when a personal, professional, institutional, academic, or financial relationship may interfere, or appear to interfere, with the impartial assessment of a work.

The conflict may involve authors, reviewers, or members of the editorial team. Examples of possible conflicts include:

• taking part in the same extension project being reported;
• belonging to the same work team or group directly involved in the activity;
• having a close personal relationship or personal conflict with one of the authors;
• having a financial or institutional interest related to the content of the work;
• having recently collaborated with the authors;
• having directly participated in preparing the manuscript.

The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily mean that improper conduct occurred. However, the situation must be reported to the editorial team so that the necessary steps can be taken.

When a reviewer declares a conflict of interest, they will be replaced by another reviewer. When the conflict involves a member of the editorial team, the work must be handled by another member who has no direct relationship with the submission.

 

7. Responsibility of reviewers

Reviewers must assess works with impartiality, respect, and confidentiality. Reviewers are not permitted to:

• use information from the work before it is published;
• share the manuscript with other people without authorization;
• review works when there is a conflict of interest;
• make offensive or discriminatory comments, or comments directed at the author;
• use the review to impose citations without academic or editorial justification.

The review should focus on the quality, clarity, relevance, and suitability of the work for the journal's editorial scope.

 

8. Responsibility of the editorial team

The editorial team must conduct the review process fairly, confidentially, and transparently.

Editorial decisions must consider the quality and suitability of the work, without discrimination based on the authors' origin, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, social status, disability, institutional affiliation, or political position.

The editorial team may request clarification, documents, authorizations, or corrections whenever there are questions regarding ethical aspects, authorship, originality, consent, or conflict of interest.

 

9. Corrections, reports, and cases of non-compliance

If a significant error, ethical issue, or breach of this policy is identified, the journal may:

• request clarification from the people involved;
• request corrections before or after publication;
• suspend the review process;
• reject the work;
• publish a correction or retraction;
• withdraw the work, in more serious cases;
• report the situation to the responsible institutions, when necessary.

Decisions will be made based on the nature of the problem, its severity, its effects, and the explanations provided by the people involved.

Questions, communications, or reports related to ethics and editorial good practices may be sent to: revistaentreacoes.proex@ufca.edu.br

Communications will be reviewed with responsibility, confidentiality, and respect for the people involved.