Editor Guidelines

Editor Guidelines – ESTEM Inc.

1. Role of Editors

Editors at ESTEM Inc. play a critical role in maintaining the quality, integrity, and credibility of scholarly publishing. Editors are responsible for overseeing the peer-review process, making fair and unbiased editorial decisions, and ensuring adherence to ethical and academic standards.

Editors act independently and are expected to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality.

2. Editorial Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for:

  • Evaluating submitted manuscripts for relevance, originality, and scope

  • Assigning qualified and independent peer reviewers

  • Ensuring a fair, timely, and transparent peer-review process

  • Making editorial decisions based solely on scholarly merit

  • Communicating decisions clearly to authors

  • Ensuring adherence to journal policies and ethical standards

3. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions must be made without influence from commercial, financial, or institutional interests.

  • Article Processing Charges (APCs) do not influence editorial outcomes

  • Editorial decisions are independent of the publisher’s business operations

  • Editors must resist any attempt to compromise editorial integrity

4. Peer Review Oversight

Editors must ensure that:

  • Peer review is conducted objectively and confidentially

  • Reviewers possess relevant subject expertise

  • Conflicts of interest are identified and managed

  • Reviews are constructive, respectful, and timely

Editors may seek additional reviews where required to reach a fair decision.

5. Ethical Standards

Editors must adhere to international publishing ethics consistent with guidance from the
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Editors should take appropriate action in cases involving:

  • Plagiarism

  • Duplicate submission or publication

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Authorship disputes

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

6. Confidentiality

Editors must maintain strict confidentiality regarding:

  • Submitted manuscripts

  • Reviewer identities and reports

  • Editorial discussions and decisions

Manuscript content must not be disclosed or used for personal advantage.

7. Conflicts of Interest

Editors must:

  • Declare any potential conflicts of interest

  • Refrain from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist

  • Ensure transparent disclosure of relevant relationships

Manuscripts with conflicts are reassigned to independent editors.

8. Handling Editor-Authored Submissions

When editors submit their own work to an ESTEM Inc. journal:

  • The manuscript is handled by an independent editor

  • The submitting editor has no access to the peer-review process

  • Transparency and fairness are strictly maintained

9. Decision-Making

Editorial decisions may include:

  • Accept

  • Minor revision

  • Major revision

  • Reject

Decisions must be supported by reviewer feedback and editorial judgment, communicated clearly and respectfully to authors.

10. Timeliness and Communication

Editors are expected to:

  • Manage manuscripts efficiently

  • Avoid unnecessary delays

  • Communicate regularly with authors, reviewers, and journal staff

Timely handling of submissions is essential to maintaining author trust.

11. Post-Publication Responsibilities

Editors may be involved in:

  • Issuing corrections, errata, or retractions

  • Addressing post-publication concerns

  • Investigating ethical issues raised after publication

All post-publication actions follow established ethical guidelines.

12. Compliance with Open Access Policies

Editors must ensure that published content complies with:

  • ESTEM Inc. Open Access Policy

  • Licensing and copyright requirements

  • Repository and archiving permissions

13. Appointment and Term

Editors are appointed based on academic expertise, publication record, and editorial experience.

  • Terms of appointment are defined by the journal

  • Performance and ethical compliance are periodically reviewed

14. Contact Information

For editorial support or policy clarification:

Editorial Office
ESTEM Inc.

📧 Email: editors@esteminc.com
🌐 Website: www.esteminc.com