Guide for Editors

1. The Editorial Workflow

Our OJS 3 platform divides the publishing process into four distinct stages. As an Editor, you oversee every manuscript moving through these gates:

1. Submission: New manuscripts arrive; you assign a Section Editor or handle it personally.
2. Review: Peer review stage; you invite reviewers and track their recommendations.
3. Copyediting: Once accepted, the manuscript is polished for grammar and style.
4. Production: The final stage where "Galleys" (PDFs) are created and scheduled.

2. Editorial Responsibility

Editors are guardians of academic quality. Responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the peer review process from invitation to decision.
• Ensuring publication decisions are based **solely** on scholarly merit.
• Maintaining consistent academic standards across all published issues.

3. Fairness and Impartiality

Editors must evaluate manuscripts without discrimination. Decisions must not be influenced by:

• Author nationality, gender, or institutional affiliation.
• Personal beliefs, religious affiliations, or political biases.
• Commercial interests or sponsorship.

4. Confidentiality

Protecting the intellectual property of authors is paramount. Editors must:

• Protect the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts.
• Ensure reviewer anonymity is maintained throughout the double-blind process.
• Avoid unauthorized disclosure of manuscript content before publication.

5. Managing Peer Review

The system provides tools to protect the integrity of the review process:

• Qualified Assignment: Assign reviewers with specific expertise in the subject matter.
• Nudge System: Use automated reminders to ensure reviews are completed within the specified timeframe.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a personal or professional conflict exists.

6. Handling Misconduct & Corrections

Editors must take appropriate action in cases of ethical violations:

7. Issue Management

The production module allows for flexible scheduling and organization:

• Organize articles into custom sections (e.g., Research Articles, Case Studies).
• Future Issues: Schedule content to be published automatically on a specific date.
• Preview the table of contents to ensure consistency in editorial practices.