Peer Review Process

Peer Review Process

To ensure scientific integrity, transparency, and high scholarly quality, all submitted manuscripts undergo a rigorous Double-Blind Peer Review process, where the identities of both authors and reviewers remain mutually anonymous throughout the evaluation workflow.

1
 
Initial Desk Screening 3–7 Working Days
Conducted by: Managing Editor / Section Editor
  • Evaluate manuscript alignment with the journal's Focus & Scope and adherence to the Author Guidelines.
  • Conduct text similarity screening via Turnitin (Maximum similarity threshold: ≤ 30%).
  • Outcome: Pass to anonymization, return to author for technical formatting adjustments, or decline (Desk Reject).
2
 
Manuscript Anonymization Mandatory Pre-Review
Conducted by: Section Editor
  • Remove author names, institutional affiliations, contact details, and biographical notes from the main file.
  • Redact acknowledgments and specific funding or research grant details.
  • Ensure all self-citations are neutralized in the text body.
  • Strip personal identifying metadata from document properties.
3
 
Reviewer Assignment 1–3 Days
Conducted by: Section Editor
  • Assign at least 2 (two) independent external peer reviewers with matching subject matter expertise.
  • Verify that no conflict of interest exists between the reviewers and the authors.
  • Deliver the anonymized manuscript alongside the standardized digital evaluation rubric (Review Form).
4
 
Peer Reviewing & Evaluation 4–8 Weeks
Conducted by: Peer Reviewers
  • Evaluate the manuscript based on scientific novelty, methodological rigor, discussion depth, and currency of citations.
  • Provide constructive marginal comments and complete the evaluation rubric.
  • Submit final independent recommendations via the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.
5
Editorial Decision 3–5 Working Days
Conducted by: Editor-in-Chief / Section Editor

The editor synthesizes reviewer evaluations to determine the final decision:

Accept Submission Accepted without substantive changes. Minor Revisions Light revisions required (7–14 days). Major Revisions Substantive rework & re-review (14–30 days). Decline Submission Rejected due to fundamental flaws.
Handling Split Decisions: If Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2 provide opposing recommendations (Accept vs. Reject), the Editor will assign a 3rd Tie-Breaker Reviewer or convene an Editorial Board meeting to render an objective, final consensus.