The Journal of Radiology and Oncology (JRO) recognizes editors as custodians of academic integrity. Editors must adhere to the highest ethical principles, ensuring fairness, accountability, and transparency throughout the publication process, in alignment with COPE and ICMJE standards.

Editorial Integrity

Editors must act independently and avoid personal or institutional bias.
Decisions should be based solely on the quality, originality, and relevance of the work.
Editorial influence must never be affected by commercial or political factors.

Fairness in Decision-Making

Editors must treat all submissions equitably, regardless of author nationality, gender, or institutional affiliation.
Manuscripts should not be rejected or delayed without justifiable reasons.
Appeals from authors should be handled transparently and fairly.

Confidentiality

Editors must protect the confidentiality of all manuscripts under review.
Unpublished materials must not be used for personal research advantage.
Reviewer identities must be safeguarded (where applicable).

Conflict of Interest

Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest before handling manuscripts.
Submissions with conflicts must be reassigned to independent editors.
Editors should not manage manuscripts from their close collaborators or institutions.

Handling Misconduct

Editors have a duty to investigate and address allegations of:

Plagiarism or duplicate submission.
Data fabrication or falsification.
Unethical human or animal research.

Actions may include rejection, corrections, retractions, or reporting to institutions.

Professional Conduct

Editors should communicate with authors and reviewers respectfully and professionally.
Editorial timelines must be honored to avoid unnecessary delays.
Editors should contribute actively to policy development and journal growth.

Reminder: Editors are accountable for maintaining the credibility of the journal. Ethical lapses compromise the integrity of scholarly publishing and will not be tolerated.

FAQs

What if an editor mishandles a manuscript?

The case is escalated to the Editor-in-Chief and may involve COPE investigation procedures.

Can editors publish in JRO?

Yes, but their manuscripts must be handled independently without editorial influence.

What is the editor’s role in corrections or retractions?

Editors must initiate and oversee corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

Ethics for Editors