Notice to Authors: The ETAS Journal Editorial Practice Some Ethical Considerations

Some Ethical Considerations

Editorial independence lies at the heart of ETAS Journal’s editing practices. According to the famous American writer Sherwood Anderson, “the whole glory of writing lies in the fact that it forces us out of ourselves and into the lives of others.” This view of writing underpins the process of editing observed by ETAS Journal Editors. Editing is not much different, perhaps only more challenging in that the Editor occupies a mediating role between the reader and the writer, representing each to the other, and thus, has responsibility not just to the writer but to the reader as well.

On the one hand, it is the Editor’s job to work diligently to make the writer’s message as effective as possible so that the manuscript is understandable to everyone. On the other, as the surrogate reader for whom the article is intended, the Editor must make sure that the article answers the reader’s need for clarity, readability, and information. Thus, it is an accepted rule in the editing profession “to preserve all the strengths of the manuscript while removing whatever impedes communication between writer and reader”.

Yet, as any editor knows, this could also be the most challenging aspect of the job. For most writers who have ‘poured themselves into their work’ – and consider them successful – the prospect of one’s work being edited breeds initial feelings of insecurity, even indignation. When this happens, the Editor must perform a delicate balancing act and despite oneself, learn not only to be sensitive, but also to be tactful in bringing home the message that manuscripts have a potential to be better – clearer, more convincing, more enjoyable for readers.

Excavating lively prose from incoherent musings calls for more than just one’s proficiency in the language or ability to discern errors. Most of all, it requires plenty of diplomacy in order to assure contributors that the straightforward recasting of their words was intended to make their writing sound intelligent, articulate, important.

Therefore, only one thing motivates any editorial change we make on the manuscripts:  to maintain the author’s credibility in the eyes of readers.

This approach places a heavy burden on our editorial process and on the peer review, but both must play a dual role, to:

1. ensure that we identify and accept what is of the highest quality
2. help authors address the entire ETAS Journal audience and make the full value of their work as clear as possible.

For the ETAS Journal Editors, the editorial process should never cloud the luminosity of a piece of writing, mar the elegance of expression, or dilute the complexity of an argument, but should in fact make the argument – and its significance – clear to a reader from any field.

The ETAS Journal Editors reserve the right to make editing changes without prior consultation with the author(s). Authors will be contacted regarding any major editing or revisions.

Copyright Statement

©Every article published in ETAS Journal is the property of ETAS Journal and its author(s) and may not be reprinted, reproduced, or republished without the prior permission of the Journal and its authors. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any ETAS Journal material, whether printed or online version, without express and written permission from ETAS Journal is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to ETAS Journal and respective authors, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.