Editorial Process

Surgical Research (SR) maintains a structured editorial process to ensure consistent, transparent, and accountable decision-making, consistent with COPE's guidance on editor and journal responsibilities.

Editorial Roles and Responsibilities

The Editor-in-Chief holds overall responsibility for the scientific quality and editorial direction of the journal, including final decisions on manuscript acceptance (see Peer Review Policy), oversight of the Peer Review Process, and resolution of any disputes arising during review. Associate Editors support this process by managing manuscripts within their area of expertise, screening submissions against the journal's Aim & Scope, coordinating reviewer assignments per the Reviewer Guidelines, and recommending editorial decisions to the Editor-in-Chief.

Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are based solely on a manuscript's scientific merit, originality, and relevance to the journal's aims and scope, consistent with ICMJE's principles on editorial freedom. Editorial decisions are made independently of commercial considerations, and the journal's owners or publisher have no influence over individual editorial decisions (see Publisher Policies).

Handling of Submissions from Editors or Editorial Board Members

Where an Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Editorial Board Member submits their own manuscript for consideration, that individual is recused from all editorial decision-making related to the submission, in line with the journal's Conflict of Interest Policy. The manuscript is handled entirely by an alternative qualified editor to avoid any conflict of interest.

Editorial Board Oversight

The Editorial Board provides ongoing guidance on the journal's scientific scope, editorial standards, and policy development. Board members may be called upon to provide subject-matter expertise or to serve as reviewers for submissions within their area of specialization.

Timeliness and Communication

The editorial team is committed to clear and timely communication with authors at each stage of the process, including acknowledgment of submission, notification of the editorial decision, and, where applicable, detailed reviewer feedback to support manuscript improvement.

Appeals

Authors who wish to contest an editorial decision may submit a formal appeal to the Editor-in-Chief, in accordance with the journal's Complaints & Appeals policy. Appeals are evaluated independently of the original decision-making editor wherever feasible.