The SCICONX Journal of Immunity and Infectious Diseases (JIID) relies on the expertise and integrity of its editorial team to maintain the highest standards of academic publishing. Editors play a central role in safeguarding scientific quality, ensuring fairness in the review process, and guiding the strategic development of the journal.

This document provides detailed guidance for Editors, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members on their responsibilities, ethical expectations, and operational procedures.

1. Role and Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are entrusted with the following key responsibilities:

• Manuscript Assessment
  • Conduct an initial screening to evaluate the relevance, novelty, and quality of submitted manuscripts.
  • Reject manuscripts that are clearly outside the scope, ethically inappropriate, or fail to meet basic scholarly standards.
  • Assign suitable reviewers for manuscripts deemed appropriate for peer review.
• Peer Review Oversight
  • Ensure that the double-blind peer review process is followed fairly and transparently.
  • Select reviewers with appropriate expertise, avoiding conflicts of interest.
  • Monitor timeliness of reviews and intervene when delays occur.
• Decision-Making
  • Provide a balanced and constructive decision based on reviewer reports and personal assessment.
  • Ensure that revision requests are reasonable, specific, and aimed at improving manuscript quality.
  • Recommend final acceptance, rejection, or further review to the Editor-in-Chief.

2. Ethical Responsibilities

Editors are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards by:

• Ensuring fair treatment of all authors, regardless of nationality, institutional affiliation, or background.
• Maintaining confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and reviewer identities.
• Declaring and avoiding conflicts of interest in handling submissions.
• Promoting compliance with ethical research practices (e.g., IRB approval, animal welfare standards, informed consent).
• Taking appropriate action in cases of plagiarism, data manipulation, or scientific misconduct.

3. Workflow and Editorial Process

1. Submission Check – Verify adherence to journal guidelines (format, ethical statements, originality).
2. Reviewer Selection – Choose 2–3 qualified reviewers ensuring subject expertise and neutrality.
3. Review Monitoring – Track reviewer progress, send reminders, and ensure quality of feedback.
4. Editorial Decision – Recommend acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection with clear justification.
5. Revision Handling – Assess revised manuscripts for adequacy of responses to reviewer comments.
6. Final Approval – Forward recommendations to the Editor-in-Chief for validation.

4. Responsibilities of Associate Editors & Board Members

• Associate Editors assist in handling manuscripts, identifying reviewers, and ensuring smooth communication between authors and reviewers.
• Editorial Board Members contribute by:
  • Reviewing manuscripts within their expertise.
  • Promoting the journal in academic and professional networks.
  • Advising on emerging research trends and potential special issues.

5. Strategic Role of Editors

Beyond managing manuscripts, editors are encouraged to:

• Suggest special issues or thematic collections in high-impact areas.
• Recommend invited reviews or opinion pieces from leading experts.
• Promote diversity and inclusivity in authorship, review, and editorial participation.
• Support initiatives that enhance the journal’s global visibility, indexing, and citation impact.

6. Timeliness and Professionalism

• Editors should handle all manuscripts with efficiency, aiming to minimize unnecessary delays.
• Clear communication with reviewers and authors is essential to maintain professionalism.
• Editors are expected to respond to correspondence within 5 business days whenever possible.

7. Confidentiality and Data Handling

• Manuscripts and reviewer comments are confidential documents and must not be shared outside the editorial process.
• Editors must not use unpublished data for personal research or gain.

8. Conflict of Interest Policy

• Editors must decline to handle a manuscript if:
  • They have collaborated with the author(s) in the past three years.
  • They are affiliated with the same institution as the author(s).
  • They stand to gain personally, professionally, or financially from the publication.

In such cases, the manuscript should be reassigned to another qualified editor.

9. Continuous Improvement

Editors are encouraged to:

• Provide feedback to improve the peer review system.
• Suggest enhancements to the journal’s editorial policy and ethical standards.
• Participate in editorial meetings and training sessions organized by SCICONX Publishing.

10. Contact and Support

Editorial questions, ethical concerns, or technical issues can be directed to the Editorial Office at:
✉️ editor.gjiid@sciconxjournals.com

✅ By adhering to these guidelines, Editors contribute not only to the credibility and growth of JIID but also to the broader mission of strengthening scientific communication in immunology and infectious diseases.