PEER REVIEW PROCESS

Peer Review Process (updated October 31, 2026)

  1. Submission: The process begins when the author submits the completed manuscript to the journal through an online submission system. This formal act initiates the entire workflow. 

  2. Editorial Screening (Timeframe: 2 – 7 days): Once submitted, the manuscript undergoes an initial check by the journal’s editorial staff or an editor.
  • Actions: The manuscript is screened for several criteria, including plagiarism, adherence to the journal’s scope, and overall conduct/quality.
  • Decision Point:
    • If the manuscript fails this screening (e.g., high plagiarism score, out of scope), the process stops, and the manuscript is marked for REJECTION.
    • If the manuscript passes, it proceeds to the next step, and the text "Send to reviewers" indicates this forward movement.
  1. Peer Review (Timeframe: 20 – 40 days): This is the central quality-control stage, where independent experts (peers) in the field evaluate the manuscript.
  • Actions: Selected reviewers evaluate the manuscript’s scientific content, methodology, original contribution, and clarity. After their assessment, they recommend a status- Accept, Revise, or Reject to the editor.
  • Decision Point: The editor reviews the feedback and recommendations from the reviewers to "decide[s] status."
    • If the consensus or editor's judgment is poor, the process ends with REJECTION.
    • If the manuscript shows promise but needs work, the editor sends it back to the authors for revision.
  1. Revision (Timeframe: Author-dependent): After peer review, the manuscript is returned to the author if revisions are needed. The duration of this step depends entirely on how long the authors take. They must "revise [cite: the] manuscript, respond point-by-point" to all reviewer and editor comments, and "resubmit" the updated version.
  1. Secondary Peer Review (Timeframe: 20 – 40 days): This is an optional, iterative step. If the editor determines that the revisions made were substantial, the "revised manuscript undergoes Round 2 or Round 3 review if needed." This means it may be sent back to the original or new reviewers for further evaluation.
  1. Acceptance for Publication: This major milestone marks the end of the evaluation phase. Once the editor is satisfied that all issues have been addressed, the journal will send a formal acceptance letter. The author may still need to make minor adjustments before proceeding to the next stage.
  1. Production & AI Language Review (Total time for Production steps 7-8: 40–80 days): This step focuses on linguistic and stylistic polish. The workflow shows a specific internal process:
  • AI Correction: The editor first applies GrammarPro edits via Track Changes using an AI tool for automated language checks.
  • Author Review: The draft is sent to the author for them to address the tracked changes.
  • Human Review: A language editor then polishes the text manually to ensure nuance and quality and provides suggestions for the author.
  • Final Approval: This sub-process concludes with the author giving final approval on the language. A visual note indicates "Track Changes enforced" during this collaboration.
  1. Copy Editing & Proofreading: This step focuses on technical and formatting details.
  • Actions: This involves administrative metadata and layout, such as reference checks, author information, and page layout. The workflow shows references to step 8 tasks like date of receipt and assigning reference numbers.
  • Proofing: The system generates a first draft for the author to correct and approve before the final PDF proof. The author approves the final PDF proof, completing the editing phase.
  1. Uploading & Publication: The final step in the journal publishing journey. After the author approves the final proof, the journal finalizes the PDF and uploads it to its digital platform or sends it to print. The work is now officially published according to the journal schedule (January, May, and September).