Publication Ethics
The Literary Encyclopedia is published by The Literary Dictionary Company Ltd on a not-for-profit basis, with contributing members of the Encyclopedia sharing ownership of the publication, receiving shares and royalties commensurate with their personal investment in the development of the publication. The Company is committed to total transparency in all its dealings, aiming to build the best possible literary reference work for the internet age, and to ensure that those who contribute to it are properly rewarded for the time and knowledge they invest.
All editors and contributors can see their contribution and shareholder status displayed in their personal account pages/ user-area (accessible after logging in). Shareholders receive annual statements of the Company accounts and are always consulted about any decisions which might affect their proprietorial rights.
The following is adapted from the Code of Conduct and Best-Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors, published by the Committee on Publication Ethics, 2011.
The LE founders and editors endeavour to meet the needs of its intended audience; constantly improve our reference work; assure and maintain the quality of the material we publish; preclude business needs from compromising intellectual and ethical standards; and publish corrections, clarifications, etc. as needed in a timely way. The LE Editors also endeavour to: actively welcome the views of authors, readers, and editorial board members about ways of improving the content of the LE and its operating procedures; support initiatives designed to reduce research and publication misconduct; provide editorial guidance in a timely and professional manner. Finally, the LE Editors will: ensure that all entries are read and commented on by suitably qualified reviewers; encourage accuracy, completeness and clarity of writing by providing relevant editorial intervention; request revisions to published articles in order to reflect contemporary scholarship or any change in the profiled authors’ life and work circumstances; and ensure that conflicts of interest are handled in an appropriate manner.
Finally, we strive to make knowledge accessible and affordable: we award two annual travel grants to emerging scholars, funded from the royalties generously donated by our authors and editors. In addition, The Literary Encyclopedia is supplied freely to institutions where the per capita income is below the world average. If you are a librarian at such an institution, please contact the Managing Editor.
