Confidentiality & Ethics

Three Teachings Studies: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism (TTS) is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity, fairness, and confidentiality throughout the editorial and peer review process. All participants—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are expected to observe the following principles:

Confidentiality in Peer Review

• ▪ All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents.
• ▪ Reviewers and editors must not share, circulate, or cite the content of any submission prior to publication.
• ▪ Reviewers must not attempt to identify the author, and authors should avoid self‑identifying references.
• ▪ Review discussions, reviewer identities, and editorial deliberations are strictly confidential.

Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers and editors must:

• ▪ Evaluate submissions objectively, based solely on scholarly merit.
• ▪ Avoid personal bias, ideological preference, or institutional favoritism.
• ▪ Disclose any potential conflict of interest, such as:
  — Personal or professional relationships with the author(s)

  — Financial or institutional ties that may affect judgment
• ▪ Recuse themselves from the review process if impartiality cannot be guaranteed.

Academic Misconduct

TTS considers the following as serious violations of academic ethics:

If misconduct is suspected, TTS will investigate and may take corrective action, including rejection, retraction, or institutional notification.

TTS adheres to the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and strives to foster a respectful, fair, and transparent academic environment.