The content within this page is tailored to help you in every facet of your role as an Editor, whether it's evaluating a manuscript, identifying peer reviewers, or the publishing ethics that need to be adhered to.    

Manuscript Handling Information

Since we are currently using the ScholarOne system, we are following the guide below.

Editor Guide

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Editors

We urge all journal editors to uphold the following ethical principles when handling articles submitted for peer review in Seed Biology, following the COPE guidelines:

●Impartial Evaluation: Journal editors must objectively assess each manuscript submitted for publication. They should evaluate each manuscript solely on its merits, regardless of the author's race, religion, nationality, gender, seniority, or institutional affiliation;

●Confidentiality: Editors are obligated to maintain strict confidentiality throughout the peer-review process. They should not disclose any information regarding a manuscript to individuals who are not part of the peer-review procedure;

●Misconduct Allegations: When a journal editor receives a credible allegation of misconduct involving an author, reviewer, or fellow editor, it is their responsibility to conduct an appropriate investigation in collaboration with the editorial office of Seed Biology;

●Appropriate Manuscript Handling: Editors are permitted to reject a submitted manuscript without formal peer review if they determine it to be unsuitable for the journal and beyond its scope;

●Timely Processing: Editors should make every reasonable effort to ensure the timely processing of submissions;

●Peer Review Delegation: Editors should assign the peer review of any original research article authored by themselves to a suitable member of the editorial or advisory board;

●Correction of Errors: If a journal editor receives convincing evidence that a published article in the journal contains substantial inaccuracies in its content or conclusions, they should collaborate with Seed Biology to publish an appropriate correction notice;

●Non-Use of Manuscript Data: Editors should refrain from using any data or analysis presented in a submitted manuscript for their personal research without obtaining consent from the manuscript's author;

●Confidentiality of Submission and Peer Review Details: Editors should ensure the confidentiality of submission and peer review information. They should refrain from uploading files, images, or information from unpublished manuscripts into databases or tools that do not guarantee confidentiality, are accessible to the public, and may store or utilize this information for their own purposes. This includes abstaining from using generative AI tools like ChatGPT for such purposes.

For best practices, we recommend editors refer to COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Please contact our editorial office if you have any questions or queries.