Guidelines for Editors

Members of the Editorial board, experts in their respective fields, cover a diverse array of key topics addressed in the journal. They are affiliated with academic and research institutions and uphold the journal’s code of conduct for editors.

The composition of the editorial board undergoes constant review and updates. Inactive members are removed, and new members are invited to join. Participation in the editorial board’s work is extended through invitations to selected individuals.

Both the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board members bear responsibility towards Authors submitting papers to the journal, reviewers providing comments and recommendations on article acceptability, readers, the scientific community, the journal’s owner/publisher, and the general public.

The Editor-in-Chief is tasked with communicating specific duties and responsibilities to the editorial board members and keeping them informed about any changes in publication policy.

Individuals interested in joining the editorial board can initiate the process by emailing a CV to the Editor-in-Chief, including details about their education, affiliation, research interests, activities, list of publications, journals where they serve as an editor or reviewer, contact email, and a link to a personal university page. The Editorial Board meticulously evaluates each application and communicates the results to the applicant via email. Selection criteria for new members include scholarly standing in areas relevant to the journal’s core subject matter and a demonstrated willingness and ability to engage in editorial activities.

All Editorial Board members are strongly encouraged to adhere to the core principles of COPE and PERK. They play a crucial role in deciding on the publication of submitted articles and contribute to the decision-making process for manuscripts under consideration.

The Editor-in-Chief and members of the Editorial Board are expected to:

• Evaluate submitted manuscripts based on criteria such as importance, originality, relevance, currency, clarity, and alignment with the Journal’s subject matter. This evaluation should be impartial, without regard to the Author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religious beliefs, political ideology, or institutional affiliation.
• Uphold and advocate for a consistent ethical policy, contributing to the prevention of academic misconduct.
• Safeguard the confidentiality of the review process by refraining from disclosing any information about the article to individuals other than the Authors, reviewers, and publisher.
• Foster awareness and understanding of publication ethics and policies among Authors, reviewers, and fellow editorial board members through active engagement.
• Uphold principles of fairness, impartiality, and timeliness, implementing the Journal’s publication policy consistently.
• Abstain from handling manuscripts when there are competing, joint, or other interests with Authors, companies, or institutions associated with the manuscript.
• Refrain from utilizing unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript for personal research without obtaining the written consent of the Author(s).

The responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief to the Editorial Board include:

• Ensuring the presence of competent and active scholars on the editorial board to contribute to the development and dissemination of the journal.
• Informing editorial board members about their expected roles and responsibilities, which involve supporting and promoting the Journal, actively encouraging the scientific community to submit articles, and participating as external reviewers.
• Regularly consulting with editorial board members on the journal’s publication policy and seeking advice for enhancing the editorial process.

The responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief and members of the Editorial Board toward Authors include:

• Treating all Authors with honesty, respect, objectivity, and transparency.
• Respecting Authors’ Intellectual Property Rights.
• Ensuring the timely publication of accepted manuscripts and promptly informing Authors of any Editorial standards or policy changes.
• Providing Authors with clear instructions and guidelines for manuscript preparation and submission.
• Regularly reviewing the instructions for Authors available on the Journal’s website.
• Monitoring Authors’ manuscripts to ensure compliance with the journal’s authorship criteria.
• Ensuring that all manuscripts undergo a review by competent reviewers, and maintaining an effective, fair, and transparent article review system that is continuously improved.
• Remaining vigilant for real or perceived conflicts of interest among all participants in the publishing and editorial process and taking measures to avoid or address them appropriately if avoidance is not possible.

Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief and members of the editorial board towards Reviewers:

• Adhere to COPE principles when organizing manuscript reviews and collaborating with reviewers.
• Ensure that reviewers possess expertise and scientific interests aligned with the manuscript’s subject matter.
• Respectfully accept a reviewer’s decision to decline and express the hope for future collaboration.
• Uphold the independence and transparency of the review process.
• Provide clarification on publication and editing procedures upon the reviewer’s request.
• Coordinate with reviewers to establish realistic timeframes for article reviews, ensuring qualitative assessments within the allotted time and meeting publication deadlines as posted on the Journal’s website.
• Value and respect the opinions of reviewers.
• Encourage reviewers to assess the ethics and misconduct of researchers in submitted articles.
• Invite external reviewers with relevant research interests and academic expertise.
• Cease further collaboration with reviewers who consistently provide low-quality reviews, violate review deadlines, or breach ethical standards and publishing policies.

Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief and members of the Editorial board towards Readers:

• Continuously strive to enhance the journal’s quality and adhere to global publishing best practices.
• Publish accurate information about editorial board members, reviewers, publication ethics, and publishing policies on the Journal’s website.
• Promote the publication of scientifically high-quality and interesting articles appealing to readers.
• Provide both print and online versions in a reader-friendly format.
• Avoid publishing manuscripts containing misleading, unethical, or overt or covert conflicts of interest.
• Ensure fairness and transparency in the article review system.
• Adhere to the established schedule for timely Journal publication.
• Provide continuous and free access to article content on the Journal’s website.
• Address and respond appropriately to readers’ complaints and suggestions.
• Facilitate the broadest possible distribution of the journal through library aggregators.
• Uphold high-quality content and the smooth operation of the Journal’s website.