Athenaeum Scientific Publishers is committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing. Editors and Editorial Board Members play a critical role in safeguarding the quality and credibility of the scholarly record.

These guidelines define the roles, responsibilities, and ethical obligations of the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Section Editors, and Editorial Board Members, in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices.

1. Editorial Independence

• Editorial decisions must be made independently, based solely on the academic merit, originality, clarity, and relevance of the manuscript.
• Editorial decisions must not be influenced by commercial interests, publication fees, institutional affiliations, or personal relationships.
• The publisher does not interfere in editorial decision-making.

2. Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for:

• Defining and maintaining the journal’s academic scope and editorial standards
• Overseeing the peer review process to ensure fairness, confidentiality, and timeliness
• Making final decisions on manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection
• Appointing, guiding, and reviewing the performance of editors and editorial board members
• Addressing ethical concerns, appeals, and complaints in line with COPE guidance
• Ensuring corrective actions (corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions) when required

Initial Editorial Screening
Before initiating peer review, the Editor-in-Chief or designated editors may conduct an initial editorial assessment to evaluate the manuscript’s suitability for the journal, clarity of presentation, ethical compliance, and alignment with the journal’s scope. Manuscripts that do not meet these basic criteria may be returned to the authors for revision or declined prior to peer review.

3. Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board Members are expected to:

• Support the journal’s editorial mission and ethical standards
• Conduct or oversee peer review in a fair, objective, and timely manner
• Recommend qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise
• Provide constructive, unbiased, and confidential assessments
• Advise the Editor-in-Chief on editorial policy, scope, and strategic development
• Promote the journal responsibly within the academic community in an ethical and non-coercive manner

Editorial Board membership is based on academic expertise and professional integrity and does not guarantee publication of personal manuscripts.

4. Peer Review Oversight

• All research articles undergo a double-blind peer review process, unless explicitly stated otherwise on the journal’s website.
• Editors must ensure that reviewers:
  • Have appropriate expertise
  • Declare conflicts of interest
  • Maintain confidentiality
• Editors must not disclose reviewer identities or manuscript details outside the review process.
• Editors must ensure that peer review is conducted in a timely, fair, and unbiased manner.

5. Conflict of Interest

• Editors must declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest related to a manuscript.
• Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict exists (e.g., personal, institutional, financial, or collaborative relationships).
• Manuscripts submitted by editors or editorial board members must be handled independently by another qualified editor.

6. Ethical Oversight and Misconduct

Editors are responsible for responding to suspected or confirmed cases of:

• Plagiarism
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Inappropriate authorship practices
• Ethical concerns related to human or animal research

All investigations must follow COPE flowcharts and recommendations, ensuring due process and confidentiality.

7. Confidentiality

• Editors must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents.
• Information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal or professional advantage.
• Editorial communications must remain secure and restricted to authorized participants.

8. Editorial Decision-Making

• Editorial decisions must be supported by peer review reports and editorial judgment.
• Editors should provide clear, reasoned decisions to authors.
• Appeals and complaints must be handled transparently and fairly, without prejudice.

9. Timeliness and Professional Conduct

Editors and board members are expected to:

• Act promptly at all stages of manuscript handling
• Communicate professionally with authors, reviewers, and editorial staff
• Maintain respectful and unbiased interactions at all times

10. Role in Journal Development

Editorial Board Members may contribute to:

• Identifying emerging research areas
• Recommending special issues or thematic collections, subject to editorial approval and established journal policies
• Advising on editorial policy improvements
• Supporting ethical and academic visibility of the journal

11. Term, Review, and Removal

• Editorial appointments are subject to periodic review.
• The publisher reserves the right to revise editorial appointments in cases of inactivity, ethical breaches, or failure to meet responsibilities.
• Editors may resign by providing formal notice to the Editorial Office.

12. COPE Alignment Statement

Athenaeum Scientific Publishers follows the COPE Core Practices and expects all editors and editorial board members to uphold these principles. While referencing COPE reflects adherence to best-practice guidance, it does not imply COPE membership unless explicitly stated by the publisher.

Contact and Support

Editors and board members may contact the Editorial Office for guidance on ethical issues, peer review concerns, or policy clarification.