Ethics for Editors
Introduction
Editors at the International Journal of Clinical Anesthesia and Research (IJCAR) are entrusted with preserving the journal’s integrity, independence, and credibility. Their conduct must reflect the highest ethical and professional standards, as guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
“Ethical editors protect the trust between authors, reviewers, readers, and the scientific community.”
Core Ethical Principles
- Maintain editorial independence and avoid any external influence on decisions.
- Ensure transparency and fairness throughout the peer review process.
- Uphold confidentiality regarding submissions and reviewer identities.
- Prevent bias and discrimination in editorial evaluations.
Integrity in Decision-Making
Editorial decisions should be based solely on scientific validity, originality, and relevance. Editors must refrain from any personal, political, or commercial influence that could compromise objectivity.
Handling Conflicts of Interest
- Editors must declare conflicts that could affect their judgment.
- Submissions involving editors’ own work must be assigned to independent handling editors.
- Financial, institutional, or collaborative relationships must be transparently disclosed.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
- Editors must ensure manuscript content and reviewer information remain confidential.
- Data from submissions cannot be used for personal research without author consent.
- All editorial materials must be handled per GDPR compliance standards.
Handling Ethical Misconduct
| Ethical Concern | Editor’s Responsibility | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Plagiarism | Verify using similarity tools and follow COPE protocol. | Reject or retract, notify institution. |
| Data Manipulation | Request raw data verification. | Reject or refer for investigation. |
| Author Misrepresentation | Investigate authorship contribution and disclosures. | Contact all co-authors for clarification. |
Ethical Oversight and Accountability
Editors must ensure all published work adheres to ethical standards related to human and animal research, informed consent, data protection, and conflict disclosure. The Editor-in-Chief bears final accountability for ethical outcomes.
Transparency and Corrections
- Editors should issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.
- Transparency in post-publication error handling strengthens journal credibility.
- Corrections must be clearly linked to the original publication.
Editorial Relationships
Editors must maintain professional relationships with authors and reviewers. Communication should be respectful, impartial, and limited to academic matters related to manuscript assessment.
Professional Development
- Editors should regularly engage in COPE and WAME training programs.
- Stay updated on ethical publishing innovations, peer review models, and data transparency policies.
Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions must be independent of the journal’s owners, sponsors, or any other institutional influence. The Editor-in-Chief has ultimate responsibility for the journal’s ethical direction.
Contact Information
For ethical clarifications or misconduct reports:
Email: [email protected]
Alternate: [email protected]
Website: www.anesthesiaresjournal.com