1. Introduction
This Code of Conduct outlines the ethical and professional standards expected from Editors and Authors contributing to scientific book publications. It aligns with best practices endorsed by leading academic publishers, including the Springer Nature Code of Conduct for Book Volume Editors.
2. Submission of a Book Proposal
- All proposals must be original and free from plagiarism.
- Proposals undergo a peer review to assess their relevance to the intended audience, market potential, fit with the publisher’s portfolio, and related considerations.
- Editors may suggest or request reviewers; however, the Publisher retains the sole discretion to accept or reject these recommendations.
3. Responsibilities of Editors
Editors are expected to:
- Organize and structure the book, ensuring a coherent and comprehensive presentation.
- Select contributing Authors and oversee their compliance with the Publisher’s Code of Conduct for Authors.
- Verify author information, including names, affiliations, sequence, and designation of Corresponding Author. Once submitted to production, changes cannot be made.
- Critically review and approve the final manuscript, assuming responsibility for its quality.
- Clarify doubts with Authors regarding ethical or procedural issues.
- Maintain professional communication with the Publisher, responding to inquiries promptly and courteously.
4. Peer Review
- Peer review is central to validating scholarly quality.
- Review criteria should align with the book type (e.g., edited volumes, reference works, textbooks, conference proceedings) and the expectations of the target audience and discipline.
- Editors must solicit constructive feedback from an appropriate number of independent experts.
- The final decision regarding inclusion of contributions rests with the Editor.
5. Originality and Prior Publication
- Contributions must not contain plagiarism and should not have been published elsewhere, except in cases of:
- Translations with permission
- Revised editions
- Reuse permitted under the Publisher’s policy
- The Publisher may employ software tools to detect plagiarism.
6. Related Works
Editors must disclose any related works under consideration, including reference works or similar publications, to ensure transparency and proper citation.
7. Conflicts of Interest
Editors must declare all relevant interests, both financial and non-financial, that may influence their decisions. Examples include:
- Funding sources, grants, or reimbursements
- Employment, stocks, or patents
- Consulting, advisory, or editorial board positions
- Personal relationships or professional affiliations
Disclosure promotes transparency and allows readers to assess potential bias.
8. Errors in Published Work
Editors are responsible for reporting significant errors discovered in published content. The Publisher will decide, following COPE guidelines, whether to issue a correction, erratum, or retraction. Retractions include a clear explanation of the impacted content.
9. Confidentiality
Editors must treat the following as confidential:
- Correspondence with the Publisher regarding contracts
- Contributions under review
- Reviewers’ reports
Information may only be shared regarding the project’s current status (e.g., under review or in press).
10. Ethical Concerns and Misconduct
- Editors must take ethical complaints seriously. Allegations of misconduct or fraud will be investigated in cooperation with the Publisher, following COPE guidelines.
- Potential outcomes include:
- Rejection of proposals under review
- Erratum, corrigendum, or retraction for published works
- Notification of the Author’s or Editor’s institution
- Inclusion of a notice of ethical concern in the bibliographic record
All corrective actions must include a transparent explanation.
11. Professional Conduct
Editors are expected to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, including respectful communication, timely responses, and adherence to all ethical and procedural requirements throughout the publication process.