Guidelines for Editors
Zoological Records and Reviews is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and publishing excellence. Editors play a crucial role in ensuring the quality, credibility, and ethical integrity of the journal. The following guidelines outline the responsibilities and expectations for editors.
1. Editorial Responsibility
Editors are responsible for overseeing the entire editorial process, from manuscript submission to final decision. They must ensure that all submissions are evaluated fairly, objectively, and in a timely manner.
2. Decision-Making
Editors should make publication decisions based on:
- Scientific merit and originality
- Relevance to the journal’s scope
- Methodological soundness
- Clarity and quality of presentation
Editorial decisions must not be influenced by the authors’ nationality, gender, institutional affiliation, or personal beliefs.
3. Peer Review Management
- Assign appropriate and qualified reviewers for each manuscript
- Ensure the integrity of the double-blind peer review process
- Monitor the timeliness and quality of reviewer reports
- Resolve conflicts in reviewer recommendations, including assigning additional reviewers if needed
4. Confidentiality
Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. Information about a manuscript should not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and publisher as appropriate.
5. Ethical Oversight
Editors are responsible for identifying and addressing ethical issues, including:
- Plagiarism
- Data fabrication or falsification
- Duplicate or redundant publication
- Authorship disputes
Appropriate actions, such as rejection, correction, or retraction, should be taken when necessary.
6. Conflict of Interest
Editors must avoid handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest. In such cases, the manuscript should be reassigned to another qualified editor.
7. Transparency and Fairness
Editors should ensure transparency in the editorial process and provide clear, constructive feedback to authors. All decisions should be well-justified and communicated professionally.
8. Timeliness
Editors should strive to complete the review and decision-making process within a reasonable timeframe, ensuring efficiency without compromising quality.
9. Communication
Editors must maintain effective communication with authors, reviewers, and the publisher. Queries should be addressed promptly and professionally.
10. Continuous Improvement
Editors are encouraged to stay updated with best practices in scholarly publishing and contribute to improving the journal’s policies, processes, and overall quality.
By adhering to these guidelines, editors help uphold the reputation and academic standards of Zoological Records and Reviews, ensuring the publication of reliable and impactful scientific research.