Editorial Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for independent, fair, and ethical editorial decision-making, oversight of the peer review process, and the investigation and correction of ethical issues in accordance with COPE and ICMJE guidelines.

Editors of SCIENCE – International Journal are responsible for maintaining the integrity, quality, and credibility of the scholarly record. The editorial team performs its duties in accordance with the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Editorial Independence and Decision-Making

  • Editors have full authority and independence in making editorial decisions.

  • Editorial decisions are based solely on the scholarly merit of the manuscript, its originality, methodological rigor, relevance to the journal’s scope, and compliance with ethical standards.

  • Decisions are not influenced by commercial interests, institutional affiliations, or external pressure.

Confidentiality

  • Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.

  • Information about a manuscript may not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or editorial staff involved in the review process.

  • Unpublished materials disclosed in a manuscript must not be used by editors for personal research or benefit.

Conflict of Interest Management

  • Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to manuscripts under consideration.

  • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest, and editorial responsibility will be delegated to another qualified editor.

Oversight of the Peer Review Process

  • Editors are responsible for selecting qualified and independent reviewers based on subject-matter expertise.

  • Editors must ensure that the peer review process is fair, unbiased, timely, and confidential.

  • Editors may request additional reviews or make decisions based on the reviewers’ reports and their own expert judgment.

Ethical Oversight and Misconduct

  • Editors must take appropriate action when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted or published manuscript.

  • Suspected misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship disputes, or unethical research practices, must be investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines.

  • Editors are responsible for initiating corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

Post-Publication Responsibilities

  • Editors are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the published record.

  • When errors or ethical issues are identified after publication, editors must act promptly to correct the record through appropriate editorial notices.

  • Editors cooperate with authors, reviewers, and institutions during post-publication investigations.

Transparency and Accountability

  • Editors must ensure that journal policies are publicly available, clearly stated, and consistently applied.

  • Editorial procedures and decisions must be documented and subject to review when required.

Final Statement

By fulfilling these responsibilities, the editorial team of SCIENCE – International Journal ensures a fair, transparent, and ethically robust publication process in line with international standards.