Editorial

Extract

Well it’s been a busy time for us here recently at WPSJ, and the handover has now been made from Cambridge University Press (CUP) to Taylor and Francis (T&F). This is the last issue published by CUP, as the March issue will be assembled by T&F. I would like to thank all concerned, especially Dan Edwards and Richard Horley (CUP), Jennifer Stokes and her team (T&F) as well as Dr Shay Rutherford for keeping the papers moving whilst I was busy organising the handover, as well as Dorien Kleverwal in the Dutch office for helping organise the new workflows. Hence this is the last issue that will be produced by CUP. I would like to thank all their team, past and present, for their friendly, helpful work over the years, especially when we have needed fast responses to problems with publishing. The changeover has allowed new mechanisms regarding the journal to be put into place, including a new, and active section editor team in the form of the new Editorial Board, which will take a lot of workload off my shoulders. There will be more automation regarding submission of papers – so authors should expect emails regarding initial formatting and so on to come from T&F during pre-screening.

This issue contains the first retraction of a paper that I have presided over in my editorship. This is an important legal issue – and thanks to Rosemary Dickin for her expertise in publishing ethics (COPE) at CUP in ensuring the proper procedures were adhered to at all time. As editor, I had to ensure all the COPE guidelines were followed regarding checking reviewer’s comments and that all had been done properly at the editing end. Standard procedures had to be followed, regarding letters to and from authors and the complainant. However, as the author did not submit an official letter in response, in the required format, we have had to make a decision at the editorial level.

It may seem obvious to state, but as authors or reviewers, you must be aware that your comments and papers are open to public and commercial scrutiny. At WPSJ we have a system involving standard peer review, but we do rely on our reviewers to read papers fully and ensure there are no highly selective, conflicting or erroneous statements being made.

It only remains for me to send all our readers greeting for the holidays, and thanks to all our readers, reviewers, new editorial board members and authors for another year of support for the Journal.

Dr Lucy Waldron

Editor