For Editors

Academic journal editors serve as custodians of scholarly integrity and quality, overseeing manuscript evaluation, peer review, and publication processes. This role requires adherence to ethical standards, commitment to academic rigor, and proactive engagement with the research community. Below outlines core responsibilities and expectations:

Editorial Governance & Ethics

Editors must uphold the journal’s mission, scope, and publishing policies, ensuring alignment with global standards (e.g., COPE guidelines). They shall disclose potential conflicts of interests (COIs) with authors, institutions, or research topics and recuse themselves from decisions when conflicts arise. Editors are responsible for preventing misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and peer review manipulation, and will address ethical concerns following the journal’s Misconduct Policy and COPE frameworks.

Manuscript Management

  1. Initial Screening: Upon submission, editors conduct a preliminary assessment to verify adherence to author guidelines, alignment with journal scope, and basic scientific soundness. Manuscripts with similarity indices exceeding the journal’s maximum threshold  (via plagiarism detection tools) or insufficient ethical documentation (e.g., IRB approvals, informed consent) may be desk-rejected.
  2. Peer Review Coordination: Editors select at least two external-independent reviewers with relevant expertise, ensuring reviewers are not affiliated with the authors’ institutions or listed as excluded by authors. Reviewers must meet criteria including recent WoS-indexed publications in the field and freedom from COIs. Editors manage the review timeline, evaluate feedback, and render decisions (Accept/Revise/Reject) with clear, constructive justifications.
  3. Authorship & Revisions: Editors verify authorship eligibility per ICMJE criteria, ensuring all contributors meet authorship standards and that changes to authorship are approved by all authors. They oversee revision cycles, ensuring authors address reviewer comments adequately and adhere to formatting requirements.

Journal Development

Editors play an active role in enhancing the journal’s visibility and academic impact. This includes:

  • Soliciting high-quality submissions via targeted outreach to researchers, conference participation, and collaborations with academic institutions.
  • Curating special issues on emerging topics to attract diverse scholarship.
  • Promoting the journal through academic networks, social media, and professional profiles (e.g., ORCID, ResearchGate).

Editorial Board Collaboration

Editors work closely with the Editorial Board to shape the journal’s direction. They may nominate new board members based on expertise, geographic diversity, gender balance, and engagement potential. Regular communication with the board (e.g., quarterly meetings, progress updates) ensures alignment on strategic goals and policy updates.

Continuous Improvement

Editors monitor journal metrics (e.g., citation rates, submission trends) and gather feedback from authors, reviewers, and readers to refine processes. They stay updated on evolving publishing practices, including open access models, preprint integration, and innovations in peer review.

Editors are expected to act with impartiality, transparency, and timeliness, upholding the journal’s reputation as a trusted venue for scholarly communication. Failure to comply with these policies may result in reassessment of editorial responsibilities by the Publisher or Editorial Board.