Ethics & Policy

This section covers the EIC's responsibility for upholding the journal's publication ethics and policies, addressing any cases of misconduct, and ensuring compliance with international publishing standards.

Ethical Oversight

EICs must ensure adherence to ethical standards by:

• Familiarizing themselves with COPE guidelines and other ethical standards
• Implementing policies to prevent plagiarism, data fabrication, and image manipulation
• Requiring disclosure of conflicts of interest from authors, reviewers, and editors
• Ensuring proper approval for studies involving human or animal subjects
• Maintaining confidentiality throughout the editorial process

Misconduct Handling

When misconduct is suspected, EICs should:

• Follow COPE flowcharts for addressing suspected misconduct
• Document all communications and actions taken
• Consult with associate editors, publishers, or ethics committees as needed
• Communicate with authors respectfully while seeking clarification
• Take appropriate actions, which may include corrections, retractions, or reporting to institutions

Policy Development

EICs are responsible for:

• Developing and updating journal policies on authorship, review, and publication ethics
• Ensuring policies are clearly communicated to authors, reviewers, and editors
• Regularly reviewing policies to align with best practices and community standards
• Implementing policies consistently and fairly
• Educating the editorial team about policy changes and updates

Transparency and Accountability

EICs should promote transparency by:

• Clearly explaining editorial processes and decision criteria
• Discribing the journal's ownership, management, and revenue sources
• Providing clear channels for complaints and feedback
• Responding promptly to concerns about editorial processes or decisions
• Regularly evaluating and improving editorial practices