Protein Science -- Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics for Authors

1. Overall obligation: The Author must present an accurate, clear, and complete, yet concise, description of the research performed and its significance.

2. Detail: The Author must provide sufficient detail to permit repetition of the work by other scientists. Sequences and structures reported must be deposited with the appropriate databases and made available to Protein Science for electronic publication. It is assumed that strains and cell lines described will be available to other laboratories after publication.

3. Acknowledgement of prior work: Prior publications on which the current research report or review rests must be appropriately cited. Sources should be cited for all information in the article, other than common knowledge. All unpublished work of third parties utilized in the research must be cited, and a letter of permission from the third party must accompany the manuscript at submission.

4. Research records: Manuscripts reporting original research submitted to Protein Science must rest on research documented in appropriate laboratory records which are preserved for a reasonable time.

5. Avoidance of multiple publication: Manuscripts submitted to Protein Science must not be under review by any other scientific publication, until they have been accepted, rejected, or withdrawn from Protein Science. No report of original research should significantly overlap prior reports in the scientific literature.

6. Coauthors: The authors of a paper should include all those who have made significant scientific contributions to the work reported. All authors must read the final version of the paper submitted and must agree to its submission to Protein Science. All authors must share responsibility for the results and their description.

7. Submitting author: The author who submits a manuscript for publication to Protein Science has the additional responsibilities of: (1) Insuring that all persons entitled to authorship are included among the coauthors and that no person who is not entitled to authorship is included; and (2) Communicating between the Editor and the other authors.

8. Hazards: The author must disclose in the manuscript any unusual dangers of materials or procedures.

9. Authority of the Editor: Submission of a manuscript to Protein Science implies that every author accepts the final authority of the Editor in all matters pertaining to the acceptability and propriety of publication.

Code of Ethics for Reviewers

1. Overall obligation: The overall obligation of the Reviewer is to provide to the Editor an objective, timely, and confidential evaluation of the manuscript.

2. Self-disqualification: Reviewers must disqualify themselves and return materials promptly to the Editor if: (1) They are aware of any conflict of interest, such as competitive work in their own laboratory, or of a financial, unusually close, or unusually acrimonious relationship with any author, or any other factor which could appear to bias the review; (2) If they cannot provide a timely review; (3) If they are insufficiently familiar with the field of the manuscript to provide an informed judgment; or (4) If they have reviewed the manuscript for another journal.

3. Confidentiality: Reviewers must not disclose the contents of the manuscript, nor their identities as reviewers to any other person, including the authors, without permission from the Editor. The one exception is that reviewers may enlist the cooperation of a close colleague in the evaluation process. In this case, the colleague is bound by the same rules of confidentiality, and the identity of the colleague must be recorded by the reviewer in the confidential portion of the review. Reviewers may not copy any manuscript materials without permission from the Editor and must return or destroy materials after review.

4. Documentation: Judgments on manuscripts should be supported in writing in the review. The reviewer has the obligation to note failures of authors to cite relevant work by other scientists, as well as to note scientific shortcomings of the work.

Code of Ethics for the Editor

1. Overall obligation: The overall obligation of the Editor is to insure the scientific integrity of Protein Science.

2. Manuscript decisions: The Editor must decide to accept or reject manuscripts for publication on objective, scientific criteria, and do so in a timely manner. In doing this, he or she must seek the advice of fair and reliable assistants and reviewers. Reasons for rejection may include: lack of originality, lack of scientific credibility of results, lack of substantial increase in knowledge, lack of clarity, or inappropriate material or presentation.

3. Confidentiality and equity: The Editor is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of manuscripts and other materials under review. The Editor is also responsible for maintaining the fairness of the entire review process.

4. Authority: The Editor has the ultimate decision as to what is published in Protein Science, and must exercise this power judiciously.

Acknowledgement: Protein Science acknowledges that in the preparation of this Code of Ethics, they have consulted Ethical Guidelines to Publication of Chemical Research issued by the American Chemical Society.