Note from the Editor-in-Chief: The Evaluation Criteria for the Editor-in-Chief, the Scientific Credibility of the Editorial Board Members, and the Enhancement of the Journal

It is widely known that the scientific credibility of any journal reflects the scientific expertise of the editor-in-chief and the members of its editorial board. Today, the scientific credibility of journals is not only important to readers but also influences the coverage of journals in international authoritative citation and specialized indexes. This credibility is closely tied to the scientific credibility of the editorial board members and, in particular, the editor-in-chief. An important point that should be considered is the significant role of the editor-in-chief in influencing the composition of the editorial board of the journal. Even with prominent and well-known editorial board members in a journal, if the editor-in-chief is unknown and lacks the necessary scientific success and acceptance in national and international scientific circles, the journal's credibility remains the most important condition for promotion in the eyes of readers and other audiences. It will lose its identity and impact by integrating into international authoritative citation systems and creating specialized profiles will be accompanied by additional challenges. Hence, a crucial factor for the journal's promotion and success in gaining prestigious international recognition is the scientific credibility of the editor-in-chief and the prominence of their scientific and social standing. This reflects the level of acceptance and recognition within national and international specialized circles. Therefore, the more the editor-in-chief holds such a position, the greater the scientific credibility of the journal will be perceived. Additionally, this will increase the likelihood of the journal being included in prestigious international indexes, and enhance its acceptability and appeal to readers. Despite this, the presence of well-known editorial board members in a journal is often linked to the editor-in-chief's reputation. Prominent national and international researchers are more likely to respond positively to requests to join a journal's editorial staff if they perceive the editor-in-chief as having a strong understanding of scientific principles. They view the scientific credibility of the journal as a reflection of the editor-in-chief's scientific credibility. It is evident that these cases, along with many others considered by internationally recognized indexes for journal accreditation, directly and indirectly, contribute to the scientific standing of the editor-in-chief. This includes the editor's scientific accomplishments and their national and international scientific reputation. In other words, it is associated with the scientific and specialist approval of the editor-in-chief within specialized circles.

Therefore, the consideration of components, criteria, and indicators demonstrating the editor-in-chief's scientific and professional credibility at the national or international level is regarded as a positive factor and a requirement for the success of the journal. Therefore, leading journals that seek to continuously improve their standing should be cautious when selecting an editor-in-chief and should pay special attention to editorial indicators. According to the current requirements and prerequisites for journal promotion, the most important components of the editor-in-chief's evaluation can be summarized as follows. Some of these components pertain to the initial evaluation of the editor-in-chief, while others relate to the assessment of the editor-in-chief's performance in carrying out editorial duties.

The main elements of the editor-in-chief's assessment
- Holding the academic title of professor
- Publication of specialized articles in prestigious national and international journals with Q1 and Q2 rankings
- Having an effective academic resume in the specialized field of journal.
- Having a national or international scientific reputation in the specialized field of the journal, considering factors such as:
Achieving scientific recognition and securing prestigious national or international scientific festival invitations
Active participation in national and international scientific conferences
Participation in the development and commercialization of specialized knowledge
- Having an H-index higher than that of his peers on average
- Conducting effective scientific research to address specific issues and challenges in society
- The alignment of his scientific-specialized activities with the scientific and specialized goals and mission of the field

Components of the editor-in-chief's performance evaluation
- Successfully publishing every issue of the journal on time
- Success in updating the journal's authors' guide
- Updating and strengthening the composition of the editorial board members
- Active involvement in all stages of reviewing articles submitted to the journal and making decisions regarding them, including:
An initial review of articles is conducted before they are placed in the judging process. If necessary, the article is returned to the author for structural corrections and resubmission.
Effective monitoring of the article structure to ensure coherence, uniformity, and a structured format.
Timely submission of articles to reviewers
Timely processing of comments submitted by reviews
Active involvement in reviewing articles, particularly in the area of comparative review. This involves validating reviews based on their previous performance and using the results to select more suitable reviews for future articles.
Making the final decision on whether to accept or reject articles

 
- Guiding the qualitative and structural preparation of the journal for inclusion in reputable international indexes (based on the practical evidence available over the past year)
- Managing and monitoring the ongoing updates to the journal's website
- Enhancing the journal's scientific and practical communication with national and international scientific communities.
- Achieving success in indexing the publication in specialized and authoritative international reference indexes
Additional components can be incorporated into these items. Based on each of these components, specific indicators can be developed for editorial evaluation. Furthermore, the significance and weight of each of the editor-in-chief's assessment criteria will not be equal. Therefore, through independent research and consideration of the mentioned components, it is possible to develop evaluation criteria and indicators for the editor-in-chief, and to determine the relative weight and importance of each indicator. In this instance, it is possible to address this significant question using a scientific approach and in a transparent manner: to what extent do the compliance with the conditions and the performance of the editor-in-chief of the journals in question align with the components, criteria, and indicators of editorial evaluation?