Scientific notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University Section Theory and methods of teaching natural sciences

The proceedings “Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methods of Teaching Natural Sciences” are included in the List of Professional Scientific Publications of Ukraine (Category B) in the field of Pedagogical Sciences under specialties 014 Secondary Education (by subject specializations) and 015 Vocational Education (by specializations) (Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine No. 1166 dated December 23, 2022).

The aim of the proceedings «Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methodology of Teaching Natural Sciences» is to disseminate the results of scientific research in the field of theory and methodology of teaching biology, geography, physics, and chemistry.

Thematic sections of the proceedings:

1. Theory and Methods of Teaching Biology
2. Theory and Methods of Teaching Geography
3. Theory and Methods of Teaching Physics
4. Theory and Methods of Teaching Chemistry
5. Methodological Training of Future Teachers of Natural Science Subjects

The proceedings provide open (“diamond”) access (free of charge for both authors and readers) to all articles and issues of the publication.

Archiving Policy

The proceedings ensure the long-term preservation of published materials through electronic archiving on the official website as well as in national and international digital preservation systems. All articles are stored with a guarantee of permanent access and protection against data loss.

• Internet Archive
• Repository of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University

Repository Policy

The proceedings allow authors to deposit the published versions of their articles in open institutional and national repositories, provided that a mandatory reference to the official source of publication in the proceedings is included. The deposit of materials is not time-limited and complies with the principles of open access.

COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL ETHICAL STANDARDS (COPE, WAME, DORA, FAIR, Plan S)

The Editorial Board of the academic proceedings «Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methods of Teaching Natural Sciences» follows internationally accepted principles of academic ethics and the guidelines of leading international organizations.

COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)
The proceedings apply transparent and ethical procedures for manuscript submission, peer review, and publication. The journal follows the principles of editorial and reviewer impartiality, academic integrity, proper authorship attribution, and has clear procedures for handling complaints, correcting errors, and retracting publications.

WAME (World Association of Medical Editors)
Editorial decisions are made independently and without external influence. All participants in the publication process must disclose any conflicts of interest and sources of research funding. The proceedings support objective and timely peer review and encourage submissions from early-career researchers.

DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment)
Research is evaluated primarily on the basis of quality, originality, and contribution to scientific knowledge, rather than only on bibliometric indicators. The proceedings recognize the importance of interdisciplinary research and different types of research outputs, and support the principles of open science.

Open Science Principles (FAIR, Plan S)
The proceedings support open access publishing, the FAIR principles for research data management, and the Plan S initiative, which promotes free and responsible access to scientific knowledge.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

The proceedings “Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methods of Teaching Natural Sciences” permit the use of artificial intelligence tools provided that the principles of academic integrity, transparency, and responsibility are strictly observed.

AI tools may be used by authors solely as auxiliary instruments (language editing, translation, stylistic improvement, text structuring, and technical data processing). The use of AI for generating scientific results, interpreting data, or formulating conclusions is not permitted.

Authors bear full responsibility for the content and originality of the manuscript. AI tools may not be listed as co-authors. Any use of AI must be explicitly disclosed in the manuscript (in the Notes section). Violation of this policy constitutes grounds for rejection or retraction of the publication.

Publication Fees

The proceedings do not charge any fees for manuscript submission, publication, or open access. Article Processing Charges (APCs) are not applied, and no paid services for expedited peer review or publication are offered.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PUBLICATION ETHICS

This Procedure defines the rules for submitting, reviewing, and resolving complaints concerning potential breaches of academic integrity and publication ethics in the proceedings «Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methodology of Teaching Natural Sciences». The Procedure is aligned with the principles and recommendations of COPE, WAME, and DORA.

1. General Principles

The Editorial Board adheres to the principles of transparency, objectivity, impartiality, confidentiality, and due process. All complaints are handled in accordance with internationally recognized standards of publication ethics and good editorial practice.

2. Eligible Complainants

Complaints may be submitted by authors, reviewers, members of the Editorial Board, readers of the proceedings, or other interested individuals or institutions.

3. Grounds for Complaints

Complaints may be based on substantiated suspicions or evidence of:

• plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or data falsification;
• violations of authorship rules or copyright;
• undisclosed conflicts of interest;
• unethical, biased, or compromised peer review;

• editorial misconduct or abuse of editorial authority.

4. Submission of Complaints

Complaints should be submitted to the Editorial Office in written or electronic form and must include a clear description of the alleged misconduct and, where possible, supporting evidence. Anonymous complaints may be considered if they are sufficiently substantiated.

5. Initial Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief or a delegated editor conducts an initial assessment to determine whether the complaint falls within the proceeding’s scope and merits further consideration.

6. Investigation

If the complaint is accepted for review, the Editorial Board initiates an investigation, which may involve independent experts. All parties concerned are given an opportunity to provide written explanations. Similarity-detection software and other relevant analytical tools may be used.

7. Editorial Decision

Based on the outcome of the investigation, the Editorial Board may decide to:

• dismiss the complaint as unfounded;
• request corrections or clarifications to the publication;
• publish a correction, expression of concern, or retraction;
• decline future submissions from authors in cases of serious or repeated misconduct.

8. Communication and Confidentiality

The applicant and all involved parties are informed of the review results within one month from the date of filing the complaint. Confidentiality is maintained throughout the process, except where disclosure is required by ethical standards or applicable law.

9. Final Provisions

This Procedure applies to all manuscripts submitted to or published in proceedings «Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methodology of Teaching Natural Sciences» and is binding for all participants in the editorial and publishing process.

RETRACTION POLICY FOR PUBLISHED ARTICLES

• Grounds for Retraction
  An article may be retracted if confirmed violations of publication ethics are identified, including:
• data fabrication or falsification;
• plagiarism or copyright infringement;
• duplicate publication (simultaneous submission to another journal);
• serious errors affecting the reliability of results;
• other ethical breaches that compromise the scientific validity of the article.

Retraction Request Procedure

• Retraction requests may be submitted by the author, a reader, or a member of the editorial board.
• The editorial office reviews the case and, if necessary, consults experts or an ethics committee.
• All parties involved are informed about the progress and outcomes of the review.

Decision Making

• The editorial board makes the final decision based on verified facts.
• If ethical violations are confirmed, the article is officially retracted, and a retraction notice is published on the website and in bibliographic databases.

Publication of Retraction Notice

• The notice should include the article title, authors, publication date, and the reason for retraction.
• The article remains publicly accessible with a clear «Retracted» label to preserve the scientific record.

Timing and Notification

The requester and the article’s authors are informed of the decision within one month of the retraction request.

Disclaimer

Retraction is not intended as a punishment for the authors but as a measure to maintain scientific integrity and preserve the reputation of the proceedings «Scientific Notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: Theory and Methodology of Teaching Natural Sciences»

Contact Information

Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, 32 Ostrozkoho Street, Vinnytsia, 21001, Ukraine

Tel.: +38 (0432) 616-620

Fax: +38 (0432) 612-812

E-mail: info@vspu.edu.ua

EDRPOU Code: 02125094

Year of establishment: 2021

Certificate of State Registration of the Print Media: Series КВ №24836-14776Р

ISSN  2786-5754 (print)

ISSN  2786-5762 (online)

Media ID: R30-01570

Research Organization Registry (ROR)

Publication frequency: twice a year

Languages of publication: Ukrainian, English

Founder and Publisher: Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University