For Editors

Guidelines for the Editorial Team: Animal Reports 

In a line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines: https://publicationethics.org/guidance/guideline/short-guide-ethical-editing-new-editors, The Journal of Animal Reports is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics to ensure the integrity, credibility, and quality of the research we publish. As members of the editorial team, you play a critical role in upholding these standards.

Below are the guidelines to follow:

  1. Responsibilities of the Editorial Team
  • Fair and Unbiased Evaluation:
    • Assess all submissions objectively, regardless of the authors’ race, gender, nationality, religion, or institutional affiliation.
    • Ensure decisions are based solely on the academic merit, originality, and relevance of the work.
  • Confidentiality:
    • Treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. Do not share any information about submissions with individuals outside the editorial team or peer review process.
  • Conflict of Interest:
    • Disclose any potential conflicts of interest (e.g., personal, financial, or professional relationships with authors) and recuse yourself from handling such manuscripts.
  • Timeliness:
    • Ensure timely processing of manuscripts to avoid unnecessary delays in the publication process.
  1. Peer Review Process
  • Selecting Reviewers:
    • Choose reviewers with relevant expertise and no conflicts of interest.
    • Ensure a diverse and inclusive pool of reviewers to promote fairness and objectivity.
  • Quality of Review:
    • Ensure reviewers provide constructive, detailed, and unbiased feedback to authors.
    • Verify that reviewers adhere to ethical guidelines, including confidentiality and avoiding plagiarism.
  • Handling Disputes:
    • Address any disputes between authors and reviewers professionally and transparently.
    • Seek additional reviews if necessary to resolve conflicting opinions.
  1. Ethical Considerations in Manuscript Evaluation
  • Plagiarism and Duplicate Submission:
    • Use plagiarism detection tools to identify any instances of plagiarism or redundant publication.
    • Reject manuscripts that contain significant plagiarism or have been submitted/published elsewhere.
  • Authorship and Contributions:
    • Ensure that all listed authors have made significant contributions to the research and that the authorship order is justified.
    • Address any disputes regarding authorship transparently and fairly.
  • Data Integrity and Reproducibility:
    • Verify that the data presented in the manuscript is accurate, complete, and reproducible.
    • Request additional data or clarification from authors if necessary.
  • Ethical Approval and Consent:
    • Ensure that studies involving human or animal subjects have appropriate ethical approval and informed consent.
    • Reject manuscripts that do not meet ethical standards for research involving living subjects.
  1. Handling Ethical Violations
  • Allegations of Misconduct:
    • Investigate any allegations of research misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, plagiarism, unethical research practices) thoroughly and confidentially.
    • Follow COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for handling such cases.
  • Retractions and Corrections:
    • Issue retractions or corrections promptly if ethical violations or significant errors are identified in published articles.
    • Clearly state the reason for the retraction or correction to maintain transparency.
  1. Promoting Ethical Practices
  • Educate Authors and Reviewers:
    • Provide clear guidelines to authors and reviewers on ethical standards and expectations.
    • Encourage authors to adhere to ethical research practices and reporting standards.
  • Continuous Improvement:
    • Stay updated on best practices in publication ethics and incorporate them into the journal’s policies.
    • Participate in training or workshops on publication ethics as needed.
  1. Transparency and Accountability
  • Documentation:
    • Maintain detailed records of all editorial decisions, peer review comments, and correspondence with authors and reviewers.
  • Open Communication:
    • Communicate openly with authors, reviewers, and readers about the journal’s ethical standards and policies.
    • Be transparent about any challenges or issues that arise during the publication process.