Introduction

The editorial board of the International Journal of Clinical Anesthesia and Research (IJCAR) operates under clear ethical principles and professional responsibilities. Editors are entrusted with safeguarding academic integrity, fairness, and transparency at every stage of the publication process.

“Editorial responsibility is the foundation of a journal’s credibility and the trust of its authors and readers.”

Primary Editorial Responsibilities

Ensure fair, unbiased, and timely peer review of submitted manuscripts.
Maintain confidentiality of all submissions and reviewer identities.
Oversee adherence to ethical publication standards (COPE/ICMJE).
Facilitate transparent communication between reviewers and authors.
Promote diversity, inclusivity, and equality in editorial decision-making.

Decision-Making Principles

All editorial decisions must be based solely on the scientific merit of the work, its originality, and relevance to the journal scope. Editors must avoid bias arising from nationality, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, or personal beliefs.

Confidentiality Obligations

Information in submitted manuscripts is confidential and should not be disclosed outside the editorial process.
Editors may discuss manuscripts only with authors, reviewers, or other editors involved in the review process.
Unpublished material must not be used for personal research without written consent from the author.

Conflict of Interest (COI) Disclosure

Editors must disclose any personal, academic, or financial conflict that may bias their judgment. If a conflict exists, the manuscript should be reassigned to another editor or handled independently by the Editor-in-Chief.

Responsibilities toward Authors

Provide clear, constructive feedback within a reasonable time frame.
Maintain professional communication and treat all authors respectfully.
Protect authors from unfair criticism or unethical reviewer behavior.

Responsibilities toward Reviewers

Ensure that reviewers are selected based on expertise, diversity, and objectivity.
Provide reviewers with clear instructions and conflict of interest declarations.
Acknowledge reviewer contributions and monitor review quality.

Ethical Oversight

Editors are responsible for identifying ethical issues in submitted manuscripts and ensuring they are appropriately addressed. This includes plagiarism, image manipulation, duplicate publication, and ethical approval for human and animal research.

Handling Research Misconduct

Type of Misconduct	Editorial Action	Reference Policy
Plagiarism	Reject or retract; notify author’s institution.	COPE Flowchart on Plagiarism
Data Fabrication	Investigate and report to institution.	COPE Data Integrity Guidelines
Undisclosed Conflicts	Request correction or issue expression of concern.	ICMJE COI Disclosure Form

Transparency and Integrity

Editorial decisions must be transparent and documented.
Rejected manuscripts should not be shared or discussed outside the editorial process.
All conflicts and corrective actions must be logged in journal records.

Collaboration and Accountability

Editors should collaborate with other editors and COPE when addressing ethical issues.
All actions taken on ethical cases must follow COPE’s recommended procedures.
Accountability for decisions rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

Reminder: Every editorial action reflects the journal’s values — fairness, transparency, and integrity.

Contact Information

For queries related to editorial policies or ethical issues:
Email: [email protected]
Alternate: [email protected]
Website: www.anesthesiaresjournal.com