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The Handling Editor's Role: How Editorial Decisions Are Made

DE By Directive Editorial Team, Directive Publications ·17 Jul 2026 ·7 min read
The Handling Editor's Role: How Editorial Decisions Are Made

In short: The handling editor guides a manuscript from submission to decision — assessing suitability, selecting reviewers, weighing their reports, and making the final call. Reviewers advise; the editor decides, guided by scholarly merit and clear ethical principles.

Who is the handling editor?

The handling (or associate) editor is the person responsible for managing a specific manuscript through peer review. They act on behalf of the journal and its editorial policies, coordinating reviewers and reaching a decision.

What the handling editor does

  1. Assesses suitability — is the manuscript within scope, sound, and above the journal's threshold? Unsuitable work may be declined at this stage.
  2. Selects reviewers — invites independent experts with relevant knowledge and no disqualifying conflicts of interest.
  3. Weighs the reports — reads the reviews critically, resolves disagreements, and considers the manuscript against the journal's standards.
  4. Reaches a decision — accept, minor revision, major revision, reject, or (where appropriate) suggest transfer to a more suitable journal.
  5. Communicates clearly — conveys the decision and the reasoning to the authors.

How the decision is made

Peer review is not a vote. Reviewers provide expert advice, but the editor synthesises that advice, applies judgement, and takes responsibility for the outcome. Where reviewers disagree, the editor may seek an additional opinion or make a reasoned judgement between them. This is why two reviewers can recommend different actions and the editor still reaches a single, defensible decision.

The principles that keep it fair

  • Editorial independence — decisions are based only on scholarly merit, validity and relevance, free from commercial or political influence, and never contingent on an author's ability to pay a publication charge.
  • Managing conflicts of interest — an editor who has a competing interest in a manuscript recuses themselves.
  • Confidentiality — manuscripts and reviews are kept confidential.
  • Consistency and accountability — decisions follow the journal's standards and the COPE Core Practices.

Beyond the decision

Editors also handle appeals (considered by an editor not involved in the original decision) and act on credible concerns about integrity, issuing corrections or retractions where warranted. Reviewers who support this work can read our reviewer guidelines.

Key takeaways

  • The handling editor manages a manuscript from submission to decision.
  • Reviewers advise; the editor makes the final, accountable decision.
  • Decisions rest on scholarly merit, independence and confidentiality.
  • Editors follow COPE and recuse themselves where they have a conflict.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who makes the final decision on a manuscript?
The handling editor makes the final decision, informed by the reviewers' reports. Reviewers advise; the editor decides. This ensures a consistent, accountable judgement rather than a simple vote.
Can an editor reject a paper without sending it for review?
Yes. If a manuscript is clearly out of scope, below the journal's threshold, or has serious methodological or ethical problems, the editor may decline it without external review, so the author can pursue other journals promptly.
What happens if an editor has a conflict of interest?
An editor with a competing interest in a manuscript — for example a close collaborator or competitor of the authors — recuses themselves, and another editor handles the paper.
Do editors just follow what reviewers recommend?
No. Editors weigh the reviewers' reports, resolve disagreements, and apply their own judgement and the journal's standards. Reviewer recommendations are advice, not instructions.
How are editorial decisions kept fair?
Decisions are based solely on scholarly merit, made independently of commercial interests, and never influenced by an author's ability to pay any charges. Editors follow the COPE Core Practices.
DE
Directive Editorial Team
Directive Publications

The editorial team at Directive Publications — an international open-access publisher of peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals.

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