Wearing Two Hats with Style: Navigating Your Roles as an Editor and Author

Three Key Tips When Submitting Your Research to the Journal You Edit

It’s no secret that academics juggle many professional roles — researcher, teacher, mentor, and more. The same holds true in scientific publishing. As an editor, you’re crucial for building trust in research and upholding the quality standards of your journal. As a researcher, you also contribute to advancing knowledge through your own published work. So, what happens when roles collide, and you want to submit your own research to the journal you edit?

This type of situation is not uncommon: you were appointed as editor partly because you have a deep knowledge of precisely the area which your journal covers. It may therefore be an excellent (and logical) platform for sharing your own work and connecting with your peers.

You should exercise care in this situation, however. Submitting to your own journal comes with unique responsibilities that require careful attention to transparency and communication to avoid any perceptions of favoritism. Following these standards enhances the credibility of both your work and the journal, and fosters trust among authors, reviewers, and readers.

To support you in navigating this dual responsibility, here are some key tips to ensure a clear and straightforward submission process.

1. Connect & Collaborate — Communicate with Your Publisher and Journal Manager

If you are an editor or Board member involved in evaluating submissions, it’s important to alert your Publisher before submitting your manuscript. Let them know of your intent to submit for consideration in the journal. This proactive step establishes clear communication and ensures you receive the necessary guidance for the submission process.

When notifying your Publisher, please be sure to include the Journal Manager or Editorial Office as well. This keeps them informed and allows for appropriate restrictions on your editorial access to the submission, preserving the integrity and confidentiality of the peer review process.

2. Be Transparent – Declare any Competing Interest

It is essential that you include a declaration of competing interest statement with your submission, clearly indicating your editorial role. You can utilize the Declarations Tool for this purpose S’ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre.

For instructions on completing this form, consult your journal’s Guide for Authors such as this example S’ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre.

Refer to the “duties of editors” section of Elsevier’s publishing ethics policy S’ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre for detailed information on competing interests:

Board Member? You Should Still Declare Your Competing Interest…

If you are a Board member not directly involved in evaluating submissions, you should nonetheless include a declaration of interest statement when submitting to journals on which you are a member of the Editorial (or similar) Board.

What about Guest Editors?

If you are a guest editor for a special issue, inform the journal editor overseeing the special issue and the Editor-in-Chief of your submission plans. Remember, guest editors are limited to submitting one manuscript to the special issue they manage, so be sure to check the guide for guest editors for more details and include a declaration of competing interest with your submission.

3. Submissions to the Journal — How Many is Too Many?

So, how many articles can an editor publish in their own journal? The answer here can depend on the journal's rules, what the editor's role is, and what is normal in their field. Usually, it’s a good idea for editors to keep their submissions to just one or two articles a year. This helps keep things fair and avoids any perceptions of bias. In the end, it’s all about finding the right balance between submitting your own work and making sure the journal runs smoothly and fairly.

Summing up

Hopefully we’ve shown that, whilst you need to abide by the rules, it’s perfectly possible to wear several hats ­— and occasionally author a paper in the journal you edit. By following this guidance, you’re playing a crucial role in fostering a fair and transparent review process that upholds the integrity of your journal and the academic publishing landscape more broadly. Your dedication to ethical practices is essential for building trust within the scientific community and maintaining high standards in scholarly publishing.

If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to your usual publishing contact.

Want to know more? Check out these articles:

• Something to declare? Disclosing potential competing interests made easier with the Declaration Tool

• COPE Guidelines – Handling Conflicts of Interest S’ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre

* Please note: The screenshots in this article are provided for visual reference only. Please consult the linked policies for the most current information.