Editorial Board Ethics

VCHPK Health and Public Health Sciences Journal

The editorial board is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. To ensure transparency, fairness, and quality in the publication process, the following ethical principles are observed:

  1. Responsibility and Impartiality
  • Editors must assess manuscripts based solely on academic merit—such as originality, clarity, scientific validity, and relevance to the journal’s scope—without discrimination based on the authors’ race, gender, religion, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
  • Editorial decisions must be free from personal bias or external influence.
  1. Confidentiality
  • Editors must maintain confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and related information.
  • Manuscript details must not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or editorial staff involved in the publication process.
  1. Peer Review Management
  • Editors are responsible for ensuring that the peer review process is fair, objective, and timely.
  • Appropriate and qualified reviewers should be selected, and a double-blind review process must be maintained to protect the identities of both authors and reviewers.
  • Editors must monitor for any signs of bias or conflict of interest throughout the review process.
  1. Integrity and Academic Ethics
  • Editors must ensure that all submitted manuscripts comply with ethical research standards, including approval from institutional ethics committees when applicable.
  • If there is suspicion of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, falsification of data, redundant publication), editors must investigate promptly and take appropriate actions in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
  1. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
  • Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their editorial decisions.
  • If a conflict exists, the editor should recuse themselves from handling the manuscript and delegate it to another member of the editorial board.
  1. Quality Promotion
  • Editors are responsible for maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal’s content.
  • They should encourage academic discussion and constructive feedback, as well as provide guidance to authors and reviewers when needed.

Note: The editorial board plays a key role in fostering academic excellence and trust in the publication process. Adhering to these ethical guidelines ensures credibility and enhances the impact of scholarly communication.