EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE
Editors' Selection & Responsibilities
IQ Research Journal (IQRJ) recognises the importance of qualified editorial leadership in maintaining academic quality, publication integrity and international scholarly standards. The editorial team is responsible for overseeing manuscript evaluation, coordinating peer review, guiding publication decisions and promoting ethical research and publishing practices.
01
Selection Criteria for Editors
Individuals considered for editorial appointments should demonstrate appropriate academic qualifications, subject expertise and a commitment to scholarly publishing. The following criteria are considered:
Academic qualifications: A minimum of a PhD or equivalent relevant academic qualification.
Subject expertise: Demonstrated knowledge and professional experience in a specialist field relevant to the journal.
Research and publication record: A record of scholarly publications, including research articles and/or academic books in relevant disciplines.
Peer-review experience: Previous experience serving as a reviewer for recognised international peer-reviewed journals.
Commitment to editorial service: Willingness to undertake editorial responsibilities and understanding of the time, judgement and professional commitment required.
02
Roles and Responsibilities of Journal Editors
The primary role of a journal editor is to promote scholarship within the journal’s areas of specialisation while maintaining the journal’s academic quality and reputation. Editors are expected to:
- Encourage submissions from established and emerging researchers.
- Identify and engage qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise.
- Assess manuscripts for academic quality, originality and relevance.
- Coordinate the peer-review process and monitor its progress.
- Evaluate reviewer reports and make appropriate editorial recommendations.
- Provide constructive feedback to authors and reviewers.
- Support the development of the journal’s editorial policies and publication standards.
- Promote the journal within academic and professional communities.
- Work with the publisher and editorial office to ensure timely publication.
- Consult other editors or relevant specialists when complex editorial or ethical matters arise.
Depending on the journal’s editorial structure, the Editor-in-Chief may work with Associate Editors, Assistant Editors and Section Editors. These editors may assist with manuscript assessment, reviewer selection and recommendations on publication decisions. Serious ethical concerns may also require consultation with the publisher or its representative.
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The Editorial Board
The Editorial Board consists of academics and research professionals who support the Editor-in-Chief in developing the journal and maintaining its academic standing. Its responsibilities include:
- Providing academic advice and strategic direction.
- Supporting the identification of qualified peer reviewers.
- Advising on journal policies, research developments and publication standards.
- Contributing to the assessment and promotion of the journal’s scholarly activities.
- Supporting special issues, thematic collections and other academic initiatives.
- Promoting the journal through professional and international academic networks.
- Providing advice on editorial challenges and publication ethics.
Editorial Board members are selected based on their academic expertise, professional standing and relevance to the journal’s disciplines. Where appropriate, experienced reviewers may also be considered for editorial appointments.
The Editorial Board may appoint a Chairperson to coordinate its meetings, discussions and activities. The Editor-in-Chief works with the Board and Publisher in overseeing the journal’s development.
Editorial Board appointments and renewals should follow the journal’s established governance arrangements, with terms of service communicated clearly to appointed members.
04
Publication Ethics and Responsibilities
The publication of research in a peer-reviewed journal depends on the integrity and cooperation of authors, editors, reviewers and publishers. IQ Research Journal expects everyone involved in the publication process to uphold recognised standards of academic and professional conduct. The following ethical principles apply:
Authorship. Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution or interpretation of the research and who approve the final manuscript.
Originality and Plagiarism. Submitted manuscripts must represent original work. All ideas, words, data and materials obtained from other sources must be appropriately acknowledged and cited.
Data Access and Retention. Authors should maintain accurate research records and be prepared to provide supporting data for editorial assessment where reasonably requested, subject to applicable privacy, confidentiality and legal requirements.
Duplicate and Concurrent Publication. Manuscripts should not be submitted simultaneously to multiple journals or published elsewhere as substantially identical work without appropriate disclosure and editorial approval.
Acknowledgement of Sources. Authors must properly acknowledge relevant publications, contributions, funding and other sources that have influenced or supported their research.
Conflicts of Interest. Authors, reviewers and editors must disclose financial, professional or personal relationships that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, their work or editorial judgement.
Correction of Published Work. Significant errors discovered after publication should be reported promptly to the journal. Appropriate corrections, expressions of concern or retractions may be issued where justified.
Research and Reporting Standards. Research findings must be reported accurately, transparently and objectively, with sufficient methodological detail to support assessment and, where appropriate, replication.
Human and Animal Research. Research involving human participants or animals must comply with applicable ethical requirements and institutional regulations. Appropriate ethics approval and informed consent must be obtained and documented where required.
Patient Images and Case Information. Authors must protect participant privacy and obtain appropriate consent for the publication of identifiable images, clinical information or case details.
05
Duties of Editors
Editors carry specific duties in safeguarding the fairness, confidentiality and integrity of the publication process.
5.1 — Fair Play and Editorial Independence
Editors must evaluate manuscripts on academic merit, originality, methodological validity, clarity and relevance to the journal’s scope. Decisions must not be influenced by authors’ race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, political beliefs, institutional affiliation or other personal characteristics. Editorial decisions must remain independent of commercial, political or external pressure.
5.2 — Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must treat submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. Manuscript information should only be shared with the corresponding author, assigned reviewers, relevant editorial advisers and the publisher where appropriate.
5.3 — Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Editors and Editorial Board members must disclose relevant conflicts of interest. They must not use unpublished information obtained through manuscript handling for personal research or professional advantage. Editors with a conflict involving an author, institution or organisation must withdraw from handling the affected manuscript and arrange for an appropriately independent editor to take responsibility.
5.4 — Publication Decisions
Editors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts considered for publication receive appropriate independent peer review, normally involving at least two qualified reviewers. The Editor-in-Chief oversees final publication decisions, taking into account the manuscript’s academic contribution, validity, relevance, reviewers’ reports and applicable legal and ethical requirements.
5.5 — Investigations and Publication Misconduct
Editors must respond appropriately to allegations or evidence of research and publication misconduct. Concerns should be investigated fairly and confidentially, in consultation with the publisher where necessary. Where misconduct is established, appropriate action may include rejection, correction, an expression of concern or retraction. Relevant COPE guidance should inform the handling of such cases.
06
Duties of Reviewers
Peer reviewers provide independent expert assessments that support editorial decisions and help authors improve the quality of their manuscripts. Reviewers are expected to fulfil the following responsibilities:
6.1 — Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Reviewers should provide objective, evidence-based assessments that assist editors in determining the academic suitability of submitted manuscripts.
6.2 — Promptness
Reviewers who are unable to complete an assessment within the required timeframe, or who lack the necessary subject expertise, should notify the editorial office promptly and decline the invitation where appropriate.
6.3 — Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not share, reproduce or discuss manuscript content with unauthorised individuals.
6.4 — Objectivity and Professional Conduct
Reviews should be fair, constructive and supported by clear academic reasoning. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate.
6.5 — Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published research that has not been cited and notify editors of substantial similarities or possible overlaps with other published or unpublished work of which they are aware.
6.6 — Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers must disclose any personal, financial, professional or collaborative relationships that could affect their impartiality. Where a significant conflict exists, they should decline the review assignment. Reviewers must not use confidential or unpublished information obtained during peer review for personal or professional advantage.
07
Duties of Authors
Authors are responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity and ethical conduct of the research they submit.
7.1 — Reporting Standards
Authors must present an accurate account of their research, including the methods, results and significance of their findings. Manuscripts should contain sufficient information and references to enable appropriate academic evaluation.
7.2 — Data Access and Retention
Authors should retain research data and supporting records and provide them for editorial assessment when reasonably requested. Where applicable and practicable, data should be made accessible through suitable repositories while respecting confidentiality, participant privacy and legal restrictions.
7.3 — Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must submit original work and properly acknowledge all sources. Plagiarism, including unattributed copying, substantial paraphrasing and presenting another person’s findings as one’s own, is unacceptable.
7.4 — Duplicate, Redundant and Concurrent Submission
Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously or republish substantially the same research without appropriate disclosure and approval. Any legitimate secondary publication must meet applicable editorial requirements and clearly acknowledge the original publication.
7.5 — Authorship and Contributions
Only individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript should be listed as authors. All listed authors should approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission. Other individuals who made valuable but non-author-level contributions should be acknowledged appropriately, with their permission.
7.6 — Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose financial and non-financial interests that could influence the research or its interpretation. All sources of funding and relevant institutional support should also be acknowledged.
7.7 — Acknowledgement of Sources
Authors must cite relevant research and acknowledge contributions from other individuals and organisations. Confidential information obtained through private communications or professional services must not be used without appropriate permission.
7.8 — Human and Animal Research
Research involving human participants or animals must comply with applicable laws, institutional policies and recognised ethical standards. Authors must provide evidence of ethics approval and informed consent where required and protect the privacy rights of participants.
7.9 — Cooperation with Peer Review
Authors are expected to cooperate with the peer-review process, respond to editorial queries and provide clarifications or supporting documentation when requested. Where revisions are required, authors should provide a clear point-by-point response to reviewers’ comments and submit the revised manuscript within the specified timeframe.
7.10 — Correction of Published Work
Authors who discover significant errors in their published work must promptly notify the journal and cooperate with the editorial office to issue an appropriate correction or retraction where necessary.
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Duties of the Publisher
The Publisher works with the editorial team to protect the integrity and long-term availability of the journal’s scholarly content. Its responsibilities include:
Handling Unethical Publishing Behaviour: The Publisher will work with editors to investigate suspected or confirmed misconduct, plagiarism and fraudulent publication. Appropriate action may include corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern or retractions.
Access to Journal Content: The Publisher is responsible for supporting the long-term availability and preservation of published research through appropriate digital archiving and preservation arrangements.
Editorial Independence: Commercial activities, advertising, reprints and other revenue sources must not improperly influence editorial decisions or the academic evaluation of manuscripts.
09
Open Access and Publication Integrity
IQ Research Journal follows an Open Access publishing model, making published research freely available to readers without subscription barriers.
The journal recognises that publication costs may be supported through institutional funding, research grants or applicable author publication charges. Such financial arrangements must remain separate from editorial evaluation and publication decisions.
The journal is committed to maintaining responsible editorial practices, safeguarding scholarly integrity and supporting the broad dissemination of academic knowledge.
OUR COMMITMENT
Impartial editorial decisions, transparent peer review, responsible research conduct and the protection of scholarly integrity.
All editors, reviewers, authors and publishing partners are expected to uphold these principles throughout the research and publication process.