Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing


1. Website
The journal’s website should clearly present the journal’s aims and scope, editorial board, contact information, and author guidelines. It should be secure and functional.
2. Name of Journal
The journal’s name should be unique and not easily confused with other journals. It should not mislead potential authors or readers about the journal’s origin or association.
3. Peer Review Process
A clear description of the journal’s peer review process should be available. The process should be fair, unbiased, and timely.
4. Ownership and Management
Information about the journal’s ownership and management should be clearly indicated on the website.
5. Governing Body
The editorial board should be identified with affiliations, and should reflect recognized experts in the field.
6. Editorial Team/Contact Information
Contact information for the editorial team should be available, including full names and institutional affiliations.
7. Copyright and Licensing
Clear statements regarding copyright policy and licensing should be provided.
8. Author Fees
All fees or charges for manuscript processing and publishing should be clearly stated.
9. Process for Identifying and Dealing with Allegations of Research Misconduct
The journal should have a clear policy for handling allegations of research misconduct.
10. Publication Ethics
The journal must have policies on publication ethics including plagiarism, authorship, and conflict of interest.
11. Publishing Schedule
The journal should state its frequency of publication (e.g., quarterly, biannually).
12. Access
Information on whether the journal is open access or subscription-based must be clearly indicated.
13. Archiving
A plan for electronic backup and preservation of access to the journal’s content should be in place.
14. Revenue Sources
Sources of revenue should be clearly stated (e.g., author fees, subscriptions, institutional support).
15. Advertising
The journal’s advertising policy should be transparent and separate from editorial decision-making.
16. Direct Marketing
Any direct marketing activities should be appropriate, well-targeted, and unobtrusive.