Editorial Responsibilities Policy

DScholar Press International is committed to maintaining high standards of editorial practice throughout the publication process. Editors play a central role in ensuring the quality, integrity, transparency, and credibility of the publications issued by the Press. This policy applies to all editors, guest editors, series editors, editorial board members performing editorial functions, and editorial staff involved in the publication of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed books, scholarly monographs, edited volumes, conference proceedings, journals, working papers, research reports, and print and electronic publications.

Editors are responsible for managing the editorial process in accordance with the policies of the Press and ensuring that manuscripts are evaluated fairly, consistently, and impartially. Editorial decisions shall be based on the scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, clarity, and relevance of the submission to the aims and scope of the publication. Editors shall not discriminate against authors on the basis of nationality, institutional affiliation, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, political beliefs, age, disability, or any other personal characteristic unrelated to the academic quality of the work.

Editors are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of manuscripts and all information obtained during the editorial process. Manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and unpublished materials shall not be disclosed to unauthorised persons or used for personal, professional, or commercial advantage. Editors shall ensure that confidential information remains protected before and after publication.

Editors are responsible for identifying potential ethical concerns during editorial assessment. Where concerns arise regarding plagiarism, duplicate publication, authorship, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, citation manipulation, conflicts of interest, ethical approval, informed consent, or other forms of publication misconduct, editors shall take appropriate action in accordance with the Press's publication ethics policies. Editors may request additional documentation, explanations, original data, or institutional confirmation where necessary.

For publications that undergo peer review, editors are responsible for selecting reviewers with appropriate subject expertise, ensuring that the peer review process is conducted fairly and confidentially, considering reviewer comments objectively, and making editorial decisions independently. Editors are not required to follow reviewer recommendations when there are valid editorial or ethical reasons for reaching a different decision.

For publications that do not undergo external peer review, editors are responsible for conducting a thorough editorial assessment of the manuscript. Editorial assessment shall consider originality, academic quality, relevance, organization, language, ethical compliance, and compliance with the Press's publishing standards. The non-peer-reviewed status of such publications shall be clearly identified in the publication and its metadata.

Editors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence their editorial judgment. Editors shall not handle manuscripts in which they have a personal, professional, financial, institutional, or collaborative relationship with the authors or where any other conflict of interest exists. In such cases, responsibility for the manuscript shall be assigned to another editor.

Editors are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the scholarly record after publication. Where errors, ethical concerns, or publication misconduct are identified, editors shall take appropriate editorial action, including issuing corrections, errata, corrigenda, expressions of concern, retractions, or withdrawals, in accordance with the policies of the Press.

DScholar Press International expects editors to perform their responsibilities with integrity, impartiality, accountability, professionalism, and respect for publication ethics. The Press periodically reviews its editorial policies to ensure consistency with international publishing standards and ethical principles. Editorial responsibilities apply equally to peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications, while recognizing the differences in their editorial evaluation processes.

Effective date: 25 June 2026
Last updated date: 25 June 2026