| Editors have the following responsibilities: |
- To acknowledge receipt of submitted manuscripts within a few days of receipt and to ensure the efficient, fair and timely review process of submitted manuscripts.
- To ensure that submitted manuscripts are handled in a confidential manner, with no details being disclosed to anyone, with the exception of the referees, without the permission of the author, until a decision has been taken as to whether the manuscript is to be published.
- To invite reviewers, probably considering the use of an author's suggested referees for his/her submitted article, but to ensure that the suggestions do not lead to a positive bias (e.g. co-authors of previous publications, mentor). The editor maintains the right to use referees of his/her own choice.
- Not to use referees which an author has requested not to be consulted, unless the editor reasonably considers there to be a significant overriding interest in so doing.
- To ensure the confidentiality of the names and other details of referees; adjudication and appeal referees may be informed of the names of prior referees, if appropriate.
- To make the final decision concerning acceptance or rejection of a manuscript with reasonable speed and to communicate the decision in a clear and constructive manner.
- To decide to accept or reject a manuscript for publication with reference only to the manuscript’s importance, originality and clarity, and its relevance to the journal.
- To respect the intellectual independence of authors.
- To make known any conflicts of interest that might arise. Specifically, in cases where an editor is an author of a submitted manuscript, the manuscript must be passed to another editor for independent peer review.
- Not to use for their own research, work reported in unpublished submitted articles.
- To respond to any suggestions of scientific misconduct, usually through consultation with the author. This may require the publication of a formal 'retraction' or correction.
- To deal fairly with an author’s appeal against the rejection of a submitted manuscript.
- To monitor and ensure the fairness, timeliness, and thoroughness of the peer-review process. |
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| Reviewers have the following responsibilities: |
- To provide written, unbiased, and informative feedback in a timely manner on the scientific value of the work, rating the work’s composition, scientific accuracy, originality, and interest to readers.
- To treat the manuscript as confidential; not sharing, discussing with third parties, or disclosing the information in the reviewed paper.
- To return/destroy/erase the manuscript and to inform the editor should they be unqualified to review the manuscript, or lack the time to review the manuscript, without undue delay.
- To judge the manuscript objectively and in a timely manner. Referees should not make personal criticism in their reviews.
- To return the manuscript without review to the editor if there is a conflict of interest. Specifically, Referees should not review manuscripts authored or co-authored by a person with whom the referee has a close personal or professional relationship, if this relationship could be reasonably thought to bias the review.
- To explain and support their judgments so that editors and authors may understand the basis of their comments, and to provide reference to published work, where appropriate.
- To inform the editor of any similarity between the submitted manuscript and another either published or under consideration by another journal to the best of their knowledge.
- To ensure that all unpublished data, information, interpretation and discussion in a submitted article remain confidential and not to use reported work in unpublished, submitted articles for their own research.
- To aler t the editor if a manuscript contains plagiarized material or falsified data to the best of their knowledge. |
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| Authors have the following responsibilities: |
To submit papers only on work that has been conducted in an ethical and responsible manner and that complies with all relevant legislation.
To present their results clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification or inappropriate data manipulation.
To describe their methods clearly and unambiguously so that their findings can be confirmed by others.
To adhere to publication requirements that submitted work is original, is not plagiarized, and has not been published elsewhere.
To take collective responsibility for submitted and published work.
To ensure that the authorship accurately reflects individuals’ contributions to the work and its reporting.
To disclose relevant funding sources and any existing or potential conflicts of interest.
To cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work. |
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