Guidelines For Editors

As an editor for the Journal of Tropical Crop Science and Technology (JTCST), you play a critical role in maintaining the integrity, quality, and efficiency of the peer review process. These guidelines outline your responsibilities and the procedures to follow to ensure a fair and ethical review process.

MANUSCRIPT HANDLING

  1. Initial Screening: Conduct an initial screening of submitted manuscripts to ensure they meet the journal's scope and basic submission requirements. Check for compliance with submission guidelines, formatting, and adherence to ethical standards.
  2. Conflict of Interest: Identify and address any potential conflicts of interest. Ensure that neither you nor any member of the editorial team has conflicts that might affect the review process.

REVIEW PROCESS

  1. Reviewer Selection: Select qualified reviewers who have the expertise to evaluate the manuscript’s content. Ensure that reviewers are free from conflicts of interest and have a background relevant to the manuscript topic.
  2. Review Assignment: Assign manuscripts to reviewers with care, considering their expertise and workload. Provide clear instructions and deadlines to reviewers.
  3. Monitor Progress: Track the progress of the review process. Follow up with reviewers if needed to ensure timely completion of reviews.

DECISION MAKING

  1. Evaluate Reviews: Review the feedback provided by the reviewers. Assess the quality and validity of their comments and recommendations.
  2. Make Decisions: Based on the reviewers' comments, make decisions regarding the manuscript. Options typically include:

Accept: The manuscript is suitable for publication with no or minor revisions.

Revise: The manuscript requires revisions before it can be considered for publication. Provide specific feedback for authors to address.

Reject: The manuscript is not suitable for publication. Provide clear, constructive reasons for the rejection.

  1. Communicate with Authors: Send decision notifications to authors along with reviewers' comments. Ensure that feedback is clear and constructive, helping authors improve their manuscripts.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

  1. Confidentiality: Maintain the confidentiality of all manuscript-related information. Do not disclose any details about the manuscript or review process to unauthorized individuals.
  2. Plagiarism and Misconduct: Be vigilant for signs of plagiarism, data manipulation, and other ethical breaches. Address any concerns by investigating and taking appropriate action, such as retraction or correction of the manuscript.
  3. Fairness and Objectivity: Ensure that decisions are made based on the scientific merit of the manuscript, free from bias related to the authors’ identity, institutional affiliation, or any other irrelevant factors.

EDITORIAL INTEGRITY

  1. Transparency: Be transparent about the review process and decision-making criteria. Ensure that all editorial processes are consistent and fair.
  2. Conflict of Interest: Disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence your editorial decisions. Recuse yourself from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist.

REVIEW AND REVISION

  1. Feedback Incorporation: Facilitate the revision process by ensuring that authors address the reviewers' comments effectively. If revisions are requested, review the revised manuscript to ensure that all concerns have been adequately addressed.
  2. Quality Assurance: Ensure that the final published version of the manuscript is free from errors and meets the journal’s standards for quality and accuracy.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  1. Stay Informed: Keep up to date with developments in the field of tropical crop science and technology, as well as changes in editorial practices and ethical guidelines.
  2. Training and Support: Provide guidance and support to new reviewers and other editorial team members. Promote best practices and continuous improvement in the review process.

FINAL NOTE

Your role as an editor is vital to the success of the Journal of Tropical Crop Science and Technology. By adhering to these guidelines, you contribute to the integrity, quality, and reputation of the journal. If you have any questions or need support, please do not hesitate to contact the journal's editorial office.

Thank you for your dedication and contribution to the journal.