ETHICAL GUIDELINES FOR EDITORS
The following guidelines help ensure that the peer review process is conducted in a rigorous, fair, and ethical manner, and that the resulting publications are of high quality and trustworthy.
Fairness & Impartiality
Editors should ensure that the peer review process is conducted in a fair and impartial manner, and that all manuscripts are evaluated solely on their scientific merit, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
Editorial Independence
Editors should maintain editorial independence and make decisions about the content of the journal based solely on scientific merit, without being influenced by external factors such as pressure from authors, institutions, or funders.
Confidentiality
Editors should treat all manuscripts and their contents as confidential, and should not disclose any information about them to anyone without the authors’ permission.
Conflict of Interest
Editors should declare any potential conflicts of interest that may affect their handling of a manuscript, and should not handle manuscripts in which they have a direct or indirect personal or financial interest. They should also ensure that manuscripts are assigned to reviewers who have no conflicts of interest.
Timeliness
Editors should ensure that the peer review process is conducted in a timely manner, and that authors are informed of the status of their manuscripts as soon as possible.
Ethical Standards
Editors should ensure that all manuscripts meet ethical standards, such as obtaining informed consent for research involving human subjects, and that any ethical concerns are addressed appropriately.
Ethical considerations
Reviewers should be alert to any potential ethical issues raised by the research, such as concerns regarding animal welfare or human subjects’ protection, and should report any such ethical concerns to the editor.
Constructive Feedback
Editors should provide constructive feedback to authors, and communicate their criticisms and recommendations in a respectful and professional manner.
Transparency
Editors should be transparent about the peer review process, and should provide authors with clear guidelines and instructions for submitting and revising their manuscripts.
Quality Control
Editors should ensure that the peer review process is conducted in a rigorous and thorough manner, and that all manuscripts are evaluated by qualified experts who have the necessary expertise and objectivity.
Editorial Responsibility
Editors should take responsibility for the content and quality of the journal, and should strive to maintain the highest standards of scientific rigor and integrity.
Diversity & Inclusivity
Editors should strive to promote diversity and inclusivity in the content of the journal, including in the authors, reviewers, and editorial board.
Follow Guidelines
Editors should follow the journal guidelines for handling manuscripts, and should ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated according to the same rigorous standards.
