Editorial Governance & Board Standards
QuiLive Publishers recognizes the essential role of editors in maintaining the academic quality, integrity, and credibility of scholarly publications. Editors are responsible for overseeing the manuscript evaluation process, ensuring fair editorial decisions, and supporting the publication of scientifically relevant and ethically sound research.
These guidelines outline the responsibilities and expectations of editors associated with QuiLive Publishers journals.
1. Editorial Responsibilities
Editors are expected to manage submitted manuscripts professionally, objectively, and in accordance with the journal's aims, scope, and editorial policies. Their responsibilities include:
- Assessing submitted manuscripts for relevance, originality, quality, and suitability.
- Coordinating the peer-review process with qualified subject experts.
- Ensuring that manuscripts receive fair and unbiased consideration.
- Evaluating reviewer comments and making appropriate editorial recommendations.
- Communicating editorial decisions clearly and professionally.
- Maintaining confidentiality throughout the editorial process.
2. Initial Manuscript Assessment
Editors should conduct an initial evaluation of each submission to determine whether it meets the journal's basic requirements. The assessment may consider the manuscript's scope, originality, research relevance, presentation, ethical declarations, and compliance with submission guidelines.
Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's requirements may be returned to authors for correction or declined without external peer review.
3. Peer-Review Management
Editors are responsible for selecting appropriate independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise. They should ensure that reviewers are capable of providing constructive and impartial assessments.
For journals following a double-blind peer-review model, editors must take appropriate measures to protect the identities of both authors and reviewers.
Editors should monitor the review process, assess the quality of reviewer reports, and request additional opinions when necessary to support an informed decision.
4. Editorial Decision-Making
Editorial decisions should be based on the manuscript's academic merit, originality, methodological quality, relevance, ethical compliance, and reviewer recommendations.
Possible editorial decisions include:
- Accept the manuscript.
- Accept subject to minor revisions.
- Request major revisions.
- Reject the manuscript.
Editors must exercise independent judgment and should not base decisions solely on personal preferences, institutional affiliations, geographical location, or commercial considerations.
5. Publication Ethics and Research Integrity
Editors must remain alert to potential publication ethics concerns, including plagiarism, duplicate submissions, data fabrication, data falsification, inappropriate authorship, image manipulation, and undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Any suspected ethical concerns should be assessed carefully, with appropriate clarification requested from the authors where necessary. Serious concerns must be handled in accordance with the journal's publication ethics and misconduct policies.
6. Confidentiality
Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and unpublished research information as confidential.
Manuscript content must not be disclosed to unauthorized individuals or used for personal, professional, or commercial advantage. Access to submitted materials should be limited to individuals involved in the editorial and peer-review process.
7. Conflicts of Interest
Editors must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence their editorial judgment. Where a conflict exists, the manuscript should be reassigned to another qualified editor who can manage the evaluation independently.
Editorial decisions must remain impartial and free from personal, financial, academic, or professional influence.
8. Timely Editorial Handling
Editors should make reasonable efforts to process submissions and communicate decisions within appropriate timeframes. They should monitor reviewer invitations, follow up on delayed assessments, and keep authors informed of significant developments in the editorial process.
The quality and independence of peer review must not be compromised merely to achieve faster processing.
9. Revisions and Final Acceptance
When revisions are requested, editors should ensure that authors receive clear and constructive feedback. Revised manuscripts should be evaluated to determine whether the requested changes have been adequately addressed.
Where necessary, revised submissions may be returned to the original reviewers or assigned to additional experts. Final acceptance should be granted only when the manuscript satisfies the journal's academic, ethical, and editorial requirements.
10. Corrections and Retractions
Editors are responsible for addressing concerns arising after publication, including errors, inaccurate information, ethical violations, and potential research misconduct.
Depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue, appropriate actions may include corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.
11. Editorial Independence
Editors must maintain professional independence when evaluating manuscripts and making publication decisions. Acceptance or rejection must be determined by scholarly quality and compliance with editorial standards rather than payment arrangements, commercial interests, or external pressure.
Our Expectations
QuiLive Publishers expects all editors to uphold academic integrity, demonstrate professional judgment, maintain confidentiality, and contribute constructively to the development of their respective journals. Through responsible editorial management and fair manuscript evaluation, editors play an important role in strengthening scholarly communication and maintaining the credibility of published research.