Editor's Guidelines

Editors of the Journal of Pulmonology and Respiratory Research (JPRR) play a critical role in ensuring academic quality, integrity, and transparency. These guidelines outline the responsibilities, expectations, and best practices that editors must uphold in alignment with COPE, ICMJE, and international editorial standards.

Core Responsibilities of Editors

  • Ensure manuscripts are evaluated based solely on scholarly merit and relevance, without discrimination.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality of manuscript content and peer reviewer identities.
  • Make decisions transparently and without conflict of interest.
  • Oversee adherence to publication ethics and research integrity.

Editorial Independence

Editors must act independently of financial or political influences. Decisions should not be affected by advertising revenue, institutional affiliation, or external pressures.

Manuscript Handling Process

  1. Initial editorial screening for scope, formatting, and ethical compliance.
  2. Assignment to qualified peer reviewers with subject expertise.
  3. Monitoring the peer review process for timeliness and fairness.
  4. Decision-making based on reviewer reports and editorial judgment.

Conflict of Interest Management

Editors must:

  • Disclose any personal, financial, or professional conflicts that may bias decision-making.
  • Recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist.
  • Ensure authors and reviewers declare conflicts transparently.

Publication Ethics Enforcement

Editors are responsible for investigating suspected ethical violations, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, or data fabrication. COPE flowcharts must be followed in resolving such cases.

Communication with Authors

Editors should:

  • Provide timely and constructive feedback to authors.
  • Communicate decisions clearly, citing reasons for acceptance, revision, or rejection.
  • Respect author appeals and manage them fairly and transparently.

Reviewer Management

  • Select qualified, unbiased reviewers with relevant expertise.
  • Ensure reviewer anonymity (single- or double-blind as per journal policy).
  • Recognize and acknowledge reviewer contributions.
  • Address reviewer misconduct or conflicts of interest appropriately.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Editors must ensure the integrity of the published record. When errors or misconduct are identified:

  • Corrections are issued for honest errors.
  • Retractions are published for invalid or unethical research.
  • Expressions of Concern are issued when investigations are pending.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity

Editors should actively encourage diverse submissions and ensure equal opportunities for researchers across geography, gender, and institution type.

FAQs

Can editors publish in JPRR?

Yes, but their submissions are handled independently to avoid conflicts of interest.

How should editors handle author complaints?

All complaints must be acknowledged promptly, investigated fairly, and resolved transparently according to COPE guidelines.

What if an editor suspects reviewer misconduct?

Editors must investigate, inform the editorial board, and take corrective action if necessary.

Conclusion

Editors of the Journal of Pulmonology and Respiratory Research (JPRR) ensure the journal’s credibility by maintaining ethical publishing practices, transparency, and scholarly integrity. Their role is central to building trust in the academic community and ensuring fair dissemination of knowledge.