Resources
Editorial Policies & Templates
Guidelines and ready-to-use frameworks for integrity in publishing
Editorial Policies & Guidelines
At the Asian Council of Science Editors (ACSE), we are committed to helping our members uphold the highest standards of editorial integrity, transparency, and responsible publishing practices. To support this mission, we have compiled a set of globally recognized policies and guidelines that serve as practical references for editors, reviewers, and publishers.
By following these resources, ACSE members can strengthen the credibility of their journals, ensure fair peer review, guide authors on ethical authorship and open access, and respond effectively to challenges such as misconduct or retractions.
This page brings together the most authoritative global frameworks and editorial guidelines—organized by theme—so you can easily access the tools needed to foster a trustworthy and inclusive publishing ecosystem.
Global Editorial Standards & Guidelines
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COPE Core Practices
Framework covering misconduct, authorship, peer review, conflicts of interest, data, and retractions.
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EASE Ethics Checklist for Authors
Checklist to ensure ethical considerations (honesty, data use, conflicts of interest) are addressed before submission.
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COPE Guest-Edited Collections Guidelines
Best practices to avoid citation manipulation and editorial bias in special issues.
(For ACSE members, request via acse@theacse.com) -
STM Guidance on Guest Editing & Special Issues
Recommendations from the STM Association on managing guest editors, avoiding manipulation, and ensuring quality control.
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WAME Recommendations for Editors
Guidelines on editorial independence, responsibility, and conflict of interest management.
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COPE Discussion Document on Citation Manipulation
Advice for editors on detecting and preventing citation manipulation.
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COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers
Ethical expectations for reviewers, including confidentiality and constructive feedback.
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COPE Flowcharts
Decision trees for handling suspected misconduct during peer review.
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ICMJE Recommendations
Defines authorship criteria, contributorship, conflicts of interest, and trial registration.
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CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy)
Standardized system for declaring individual author contributions.
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ICMJE Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form
Uniform form for authors to disclose financial and non-financial interests.
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EASE Form for Authors’ Contributions and Conflict of Interest Disclosure
A standard form to declare contributions and conflicts transparently.
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COPE Retraction Guidelines
Best practices for retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern.
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EASE Standardised Retraction Form
A universal retraction template to support consistent editorial practice.
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Principles of Transparency & Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing
A joint statement from DOAJ, COPE, OASPA & WAME defining global standards for transparency and publishing best practices.
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DOAJ Transparency & Best Practice Principles
Checklist for transparent editorial and publishing practices.
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Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI)
Foundational declaration of open access principles.
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Plan S (cOAlition S)
Mandates for publishing publicly funded research in OA journals.
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ROARMAP (OA Mandates Database)
Database of funder/institutional OA policies for compliance.
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ICMJE Data Sharing Statement
Encourages data sharing for clinical trials to improve reproducibility.
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GPP 2022 – Good Publication Practice
Guidelines for ethical company-sponsored research publications.
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SAGER Guidelines (EASE)
Recommendations for reporting sex and gender equity in research.
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SDG Publishers Compact (United Nations)
Commitments by publishers to align with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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Think. Check. Submit.
Checklist for identifying trusted journals and avoiding predatory publishers.
Editorial Policy Templates
Streamline your journal’s publishing standards with ACSE’s expert-designed policies.
The Asian Council of Science Editors (ACSE) provides ready-to-use editorial policy templates for both open-access and subscription-based journals. Developed with leading experts, these policies promote integrity, transparency, and trust in scholarly publishing. Journals may adopt them as they are or customize them to meet their unique requirements, empowering editorial teams to establish strong, credible, and consistent standards.