Ethics for Editors

The Journal of Forensic Science and Research (JFSR) maintains a high standard of editorial integrity to ensure that all published articles are accurate, ethical, and valuable contributions to forensic science. These Editorial Responsibilities describe the duties and expectations for editors, associate editors, and members of the editorial board.

Core Editorial Duties

• Oversee the peer review process with fairness, confidentiality, and timeliness.
• Make unbiased publication decisions based solely on scholarly merit.
• Uphold ethical publishing practices in accordance with COPE and ICMJE guidelines.
• Ensure all manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening prior to review.
• Maintain transparency in editorial communications with authors and reviewers.

Commitment to Editorial Independence

Editors must operate free from commercial, political, or institutional bias. Decisions should be guided only by the quality, originality, and significance of the submitted work.

Managing Peer Review

Editorial staff are responsible for selecting qualified reviewers, ensuring balanced and independent evaluations, and maintaining confidentiality of the peer review process.

• Reviewers should be chosen based on subject matter expertise.
• Double-blind peer review must be maintained where applicable.
• Conflicts of interest among reviewers and editors must be declared and managed.

Addressing Ethical Misconduct

Transparency in Corrections and Retractions

Editors are responsible for issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when errors or ethical breaches are identified in published content. Notices must be permanent, linked to the original article, and clearly labeled.

Conflict of Interest Management

Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their decision-making. In cases of conflict, the manuscript should be reassigned to another editor without conflicts.

Communication with Stakeholders

• Editors must provide timely, respectful, and constructive feedback to authors.
• Reviewers must be acknowledged for their contributions and guided in ethical review practices.
• Publishers and editorial staff should work collaboratively to maintain the journal’s integrity.

Training and Continuous Development

Editors are encouraged to participate in training and workshops on editorial ethics, peer review best practices, and evolving trends in scientific publishing to maintain excellence.

FAQs

What if an editor is also an author in the journal?

They must not participate in decisions related to their submission. A separate editor should oversee the process.

How should editors respond to author appeals?

Appeals must be handled fairly and transparently, with re-evaluation by independent experts if necessary.

What is the editor’s role in research data sharing?

Editors must ensure that authors provide sufficient data availability statements and follow funder requirements for data transparency.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

By adhering to these responsibilities, editors safeguard the journal’s reputation, foster trust among stakeholders, and ensure that JFSR continues to advance forensic science research with integrity and transparency.