Peer Review Process

Process and Duration of Peer Review

Every manuscript that is submitted undergoes evaluation by a minimum of two anonymous reviewers through a double-blind peer-review process to assess its contribution to the field and its relevance to the journal’s focus. The Editor-In-Chief is tasked with informing each potential author of the review results within three months of the manuscript submission. Authors should note that, due to the high volume of submissions, the review process may take up to 4 months or longer in some cases.

Responsibilities of Editorial Board Members

The Editorial Board plays an essential role in the peer review process by selecting and identifying reviewers and making publication recommendations to the Editor-In-Chief, who ultimately makes the final decision based on the reviewers' reports. Additionally, the Editorial Board is responsible for providing expert guidance to the journal publisher and the Editor-In-Chief on matters related to the journal’s policies and publication ethics, as required. Members of the Editorial Board may also be called upon to act as reviewers for submitted manuscripts. The Editorial Board aids in identifying trending topics for Special Issues, suggests professional Conferences, and may also help organize and/or guest-edit future publications. Furthermore, the Editorial Board contributes to attracting both new and established authors and article submissions. While members of the Editorial Board may submit their own research for consideration, they MUST comply with Conflict of Interest regulations and clearly disclose their relationship with the journal.

 Roles of Contributing Authors

Authors bear the responsibility of delivering a critical analysis of their research and its importance, and of ensuring that the underlying data are accurately represented for reproducibility. They may be required to submit raw data for editorial assessment and to make it publicly accessible in accordance with the ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases. It is imperative for authors to guarantee originality, properly acknowledge sources, and comply with TURNITIN guidelines to avoid plagiarism. Submitting the same research to multiple journals is deemed unethical and must be avoided. Authorship should be attributed to those individuals accountable for the research, in accordance with CRediT guidelines and ICMJE criteria. Authors are obligated to declare any potential hazards related to human participants, chemicals, procedures, or equipment utilized in the manuscript. They must also disclose any conflicts of interest that could have impacted the manuscript. Authors should promptly inform the Editor-in-Chief of any inaccuracies in their published work and collaborate on necessary corrections or retractions. If authors wish to withdraw a manuscript, they must notify the Editor-in-Chief within one month of submission.