Editorial Policies

Ellinger Publishing Media follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies policies designed to protect research integrity, editorial independence, and transparency in scholarly publishing.

1) Editorial Independence and Responsibility

• Editorial decisions are made independently by editors based on scholarly merit, methodological rigor, relevance, and ethical compliance.
• Commercial, institutional, or political interests do not influence acceptance or rejection decisions.
• Editors are responsible for maintaining a fair, confidential, and timely review process.

2) Scope and Decision Criteria

Manuscripts are assessed on:

• Alignment with journal aims and scope
• Originality and contribution to the field
• Methodological and analytical quality
• Clarity of reporting and interpretation
• Ethical compliance and transparency of disclosures

Desk rejection may occur when submissions are out of scope, lack sufficient scientific quality, or fail ethical or reporting standards.

3) Peer Review Policy

• Submissions undergo editorial screening followed by peer review.
• Manuscripts typically receive evaluation from at least two qualified reviewers.
• Editors may request additional review when expert opinions conflict or specialized assessment is required.
• Final decisions are made by editors, not reviewers.

Reviewer Expectations

Reviewers are expected to:

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback
• Declare potential conflicts of interest before accepting review invitations
• Maintain confidentiality and not use manuscript content for personal advantage
• Alert editors to suspected ethical concerns (e.g., plagiarism, data manipulation, redundant publication)

4) Authorship and Contributorship

Authors must ensure that:

• All listed authors made substantial scholarly contributions
• All authors approve the submitted and final accepted version
• No qualified contributor is omitted, and no non-contributor is listed as author
• Any changes to authorship after submission are justified in writing and approved by all authors and editors

Ghost authorship, guest authorship, and gift authorship are not permitted.

5) Conflicts of Interest

• Authors must disclose financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the work.
• Reviewers and editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts may affect objectivity.
• Undisclosed conflicts identified post-publication may result in editorial correction or retraction.

6) Research Integrity and Misconduct

Ellinger Publishing Media investigates concerns in line with COPE guidance, including:

• Plagiarism and unattributed reuse
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Image manipulation that misrepresents findings
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Citation manipulation
• Undisclosed use of third-party writing or paper mills

When concerns arise, editors may request raw data, ethics approvals, author explanations, or institutional clarification before making a decision.

7) Human, Animal, and Sensitive Research

For relevant studies, manuscripts must include:

• Name of ethics committee/IRB and approval identifier (where applicable)
• Statement on informed consent for human participants
• Statement on compliance with applicable animal research standards
• Protection measures for privacy and confidentiality

Editors may reject manuscripts lacking required ethical safeguards.

8) Clinical Trials and Reporting Transparency

• Clinical trials should include registration details in a recognized public registry.
• Authors should follow relevant reporting standards (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, CARE, or equivalent where appropriate).
• Authors may be asked to provide checklists, protocols, or supplementary reporting documents.

9) Data Availability and Reproducibility

Authors should provide a clear data availability statement indicating whether and how data, code, or materials can be accessed.

Where restrictions apply (privacy, legal, or ethical), authors must clearly state the reason and conditions for access.

10) Plagiarism Screening

• Manuscripts may be screened for textual overlap and potential plagiarism before or during review.
• Significant overlap with published or submitted work without proper citation may lead to rejection or post-publication action.

11) Use of AI and Automated Tools

• Authors must disclose material use of AI tools in manuscript preparation (e.g., language editing, coding assistance, image generation, analysis support).
• Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, citation integrity, and ethical compliance of all content.
• AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

12) Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

Post-publication updates follow COPE-aligned editorial judgment:

• Correction: For errors that do not invalidate the overall findings
• Expression of Concern: When serious concerns are unresolved but investigation is ongoing
• Retraction: For unreliable findings, major ethical breach, or confirmed misconduct

All notices are linked to the original article and clearly state the reason for action.

13) Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a reasoned response with point-by-point justification and supporting evidence.

Complaints regarding peer review, editorial handling, or publication ethics are assessed independently by senior editorial leadership. Additional external advice may be sought when needed.

14) Confidentiality

• Submitted manuscripts and peer review records are treated as confidential editorial documents.
• Identifying details are handled in accordance with journal workflow and applicable data protection practices.

15) Post-Publication Discussion

Reasoned scholarly critique is encouraged. Substantive concerns raised after publication are evaluated through editorial review and, where appropriate, formal correction procedures.

16) Policy Updates

These policies may be revised periodically to reflect COPE recommendations, evolving best practices, and regulatory developments.

Contact for Policy and Ethics Matters

For editorial policy questions, ethical concerns, appeals, or complaints:

• Email: editorial@e-pubmed.co.uk