Editorial Policy
Emergent Life Sciences Research (ELSR) is committed to maintaining a fair, independent, transparent, and scientifically rigorous editorial process. Editorial decisions are based on the scientific quality, originality, relevance, and integrity of submitted manuscripts.
The journal seeks to ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated consistently and without inappropriate influence from commercial, institutional, personal, or other external interests.
1. Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions are made independently by the Editors of ELSR.
The Publisher, Emergent Research Publications (ERP), supports the operation and development of the journal but does not influence decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of individual manuscripts.
Editors are expected to make decisions based on the scientific merit, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and relevance of a manuscript to the aims and scope of the journal.
Editorial decisions must not be influenced by the nationality, geographical location, institutional affiliation, gender, personal beliefs, or professional status of the authors.
2. Editorial Responsibility
The Editor-in-Chief has overall responsibility for maintaining the scientific and editorial standards of ELSR.
Editors are responsible for:
- Conducting fair and impartial editorial assessments.
- Evaluating the suitability of manuscripts for the journal.
- Selecting qualified and independent reviewers.
- Protecting the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
- Identifying and managing potential conflicts of interest.
- Considering reviewer reports objectively.
- Making editorial decisions based on scientific merit.
- Addressing ethical or publication-related concerns when they arise.
Editors may seek advice from members of the Editorial Board or other subject specialists when additional expertise is required.
3. Initial Editorial Assessment
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment before peer review. During this stage, the Editorial Office and Editors may evaluate whether the manuscript:
- Falls within the aims and scope of ELSR.
- Meets the basic requirements of the ELSR Guide for Authors.
- Presents a clear scientific question or objective.
- Demonstrates sufficient scientific quality and originality.
- Uses appropriate research methods and data analysis.
- Includes the required declarations and supporting information.
- Complies with applicable publication ethics and research integrity requirements.
Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned to the authors for correction or declined without external peer review.
A decision not to send a manuscript for peer review does not necessarily indicate that the research is scientifically invalid. A manuscript may also be declined because it falls outside the journal’s scope, does not meet the journal’s editorial priorities, or is not sufficiently developed for further evaluation.
4. Assignment of Editors
Manuscripts are assigned to an Editor with appropriate subject knowledge whenever possible.
The assigned Editor is responsible for overseeing the editorial evaluation of the manuscript and may recommend suitable reviewers based on the scientific subject, methodology, and expertise required.
Editors should not handle manuscripts where a personal, professional, financial, or institutional relationship could reasonably affect their impartiality.
Where a potential conflict of interest exists, the manuscript should be reassigned to another suitable Editor.
5. Editorial Conflicts of Interest
Editors and Editorial Board members must disclose potential conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to evaluate a manuscript objectively.
An Editor should not participate in the editorial decision-making process for a manuscript if the Editor:
- Is an author or co-author of the manuscript.
- Has a close personal or professional relationship with an author.
- Has a direct financial interest related to the research.
- Has been directly involved in the research reported in the manuscript.
- Has another relationship or circumstance that could reasonably raise concerns about editorial impartiality.
In such cases, the manuscript will be handled by another Editor who has no relevant conflict of interest.
6. Manuscripts Submitted by Editors or Editorial Board Members
Manuscripts submitted by Editors, Editorial Board members, or individuals associated with ELSR are not given preferential treatment.
Such manuscripts are subject to the same editorial assessment, ethical requirements, and peer-review standards as other submissions.
The author who has a relationship with the journal will not participate in the selection of reviewers, evaluation of reviewer reports, or editorial decision concerning the manuscript.
Editorial handling will be assigned to an independent Editor.
7. Editorial Decision-Making
Editorial decisions are based on the overall evaluation of the manuscript.
Editors may consider:
- Originality of the research.
- Scientific and methodological quality.
- Reliability and clarity of the data.
- Appropriateness of the analysis.
- Interpretation of the findings.
- Significance of the scientific contribution.
- Relevance to the aims and scope of ELSR.
- Compliance with ethical and publication standards.
- Comments and recommendations provided by peer reviewers.
Reviewer recommendations are advisory. The final editorial decision is made by the responsible Editor based on the complete evaluation of the manuscript.
Where reviewer opinions differ substantially, the Editor may seek an additional review or consult another member of the Editorial Board before reaching a decision.
8. Fairness and Impartiality
ELSR is committed to fair and impartial editorial evaluation.
Manuscripts are assessed on their scientific content and contribution to the field.
Editorial decisions should not be affected by the identity, nationality, institutional affiliation, geographical location, or personal characteristics of the authors.
The journal seeks to provide all authors with an equitable opportunity for scientific evaluation.
9. Editorial Confidentiality
Submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents.
Editors, Editorial Board members, reviewers, and Editorial Office staff must not disclose information about a submitted manuscript to unauthorized individuals.
Information, data, or ideas obtained through the editorial process must not be used for personal research, professional advantage, or other purposes before the work is publicly available.
Access to manuscript information should be limited to individuals directly involved in the editorial and publication process.
10. Special Issues and Guest Editors
Special Issues, where organized by ELSR, are subject to the same scientific, ethical, and editorial standards as regular journal content.
Guest Editors may assist with the coordination of a Special Issue; however, they must follow the editorial policies of ELSR.
Manuscripts submitted to a Special Issue must undergo appropriate editorial assessment and peer review.
Guest Editors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and should not make editorial decisions on manuscripts where their impartiality may reasonably be questioned.
The Editor-in-Chief or a designated ELSR Editor retains editorial oversight of Special Issues and may intervene when necessary to protect the scientific and ethical standards of the journal.
11. Editorial Concerns and Ethical Issues
If concerns regarding research integrity, publication ethics, authorship, data reliability, image integrity, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of misconduct arise during editorial evaluation, the journal may suspend the editorial process while the matter is examined.
The Editorial Office may request explanations, original data, supporting documentation, ethical approvals, or other relevant information from the authors.
Editorial action will depend on the nature and seriousness of the concern.
Where appropriate, the journal may reject the manuscript, request correction, or take other action in accordance with the relevant ELSR publication policies.
12. Appeals of Editorial Decisions
Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe that a significant scientific or procedural issue has affected the evaluation of their manuscript.
An appeal should provide a clear and reasoned explanation and, where appropriate, supporting scientific information.
Appeals are considered according to the ELSR Appeals & Complaints Policy.
Submission of an appeal does not guarantee that the original editorial decision will be changed.
13. Editorial Policy Oversight
ELSR may review and update its editorial procedures when necessary to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, research integrity, and publication ethics.
The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Office are responsible for overseeing the implementation of this Editorial Policy.
All Editors and Editorial Board members are expected to act with fairness, independence, confidentiality, and professional responsibility throughout the editorial process.
The journal periodically reviews its editorial policies in light of internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing and research integrity.
