Ethics for Editors

Editors at the Annals of Dermatological Research (ADR) are required to uphold the highest ethical standards in the management of manuscripts. Their conduct must ensure integrity, fairness, transparency, and confidentiality in the scholarly publishing process. These ethical obligations are aligned with COPE, ICMJE, and WAME frameworks.

Editorial ethics form the foundation of ADR’s publishing practices. Editors are entrusted to make impartial decisions that are based solely on academic merit.

Integrity of the Editorial Process

  • Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely based on scientific quality and relevance to ADR’s aims and scope.
  • Personal biases, institutional affiliation, nationality, or personal relationships must not influence decisions.
  • Editors are prohibited from engaging in coercive citation practices.

Confidentiality

Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. No information about submissions should be shared beyond the editorial team, assigned reviewers, or publisher staff directly involved in the publication process.

Conflict of Interest

  • Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest (financial, institutional, or personal) and recuse themselves from handling affected manuscripts.
  • Editors may not handle submissions from their own research groups or close collaborators.

Peer Review Ethics

Editors must ensure that peer review is fair, unbiased, and conducted by qualified experts. They should avoid assigning reviewers with potential conflicts of interest and monitor the review process for integrity and timeliness.

Transparency in Decision-Making

  • Editorial decisions must be communicated clearly and objectively to authors.
  • Decisions should be based on reviewer feedback and editorial judgment, not external pressures.
  • Authors must be given the opportunity to appeal decisions with supporting evidence.

Addressing Misconduct

Editors are responsible for investigating allegations of research misconduct such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or ethical breaches. ADR follows COPE flowcharts to address such cases consistently.

Ethical Interaction with Authors and Reviewers

  • Editors must treat authors and reviewers respectfully and professionally.
  • Editors must not exploit or take undue advantage of unpublished research findings.
  • Editors should provide clear guidance to reviewers on ADR’s expectations and ethical responsibilities.

Post-Publication Ethical Duties

Editors must ensure that published work remains accurate and trustworthy. Corrections, retractions, or updates should be issued when errors or ethical concerns are identified.

Training and Awareness

Editors are encouraged to stay updated with ongoing training in publishing ethics through COPE, ICMJE, and WAME resources. ADR promotes continuous learning to strengthen editorial judgment and ethical sensitivity.

FAQs

What happens if an editor is found biased?

The case will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief, and appropriate corrective action will be taken, including reassignment of duties.

Can editors submit their own research?

Yes, but their manuscripts will be handled independently by other editors to avoid conflicts of interest.

What should editors do if pressured by external parties?

Editors must maintain independence and report such instances to the editorial board and publisher immediately.