Peer Review Process

Submission and Correspondence 

Each manuscript should be accompanied by a cover letter, which should explicitly state that the authors have the authority to publish the work and that the manuscript (or one with substantially the same content, by any of the authors) has not been previously published in any language anywhere and that it is not under simultaneous consideration by another journal. All authors of the manuscript are responsible for its content; they must have agreed to its publication and have given the corresponding author the authority to act on their behalf in all matters of publication. The corresponding author is responsible for informing the co-authors of the manuscript status throughout the submission, review, and production process.

Peer Review process

Each manuscript, after uploading to Editorial Manager, receives an individual ID number that is used in all correspondence regarding the publication process. However, a submission may be declined by the Editor without review if the studies reported are not sufficiently novel or out of the scope of the journal. Manuscripts deemed unsuitable (insufficient originality or of limited interest to the target audience) are returned to the author(s) without review. The Managing Editor may appoint an Editor, with expertise in the relevant field, who is fully responsible for further handling the manuscript and making the ultimate decision about its acceptance/rejection. For detailed guidance about the peer-review process, timeframe, etc. please consult our Peer Review Policy.

Revised manuscript submission

When a revision of a manuscript is requested, authors should return the revised version of their manuscript as soon as possible. Prompt action may ensure fast publication if a paper is finally accepted for publication. If it is the first revision of an article, authors need to return their revised manuscript within 28 days. If it is the second revision, authors need to return their revised manuscript within 14 days. If these deadlines are not met, and no specific arrangements for completion have been made with the Editor, the manuscript will be treated as a new one and will receive a new ID along with a new registration date.

The final decision is made by the Managing Editor, or in case of conflict, by the Editor-in-Chief.

Galley Proofs

Authors will receive a PDF file with the edited version of their manuscript for final proofreading. This is the last opportunity to view an article before its publication on the Journal website. No changes or modifications can be introduced once it is published. Thus, authors are requested to check their Galley proofs carefully against the manuscript within 3 working days and prepare a separate document containing all changes that should be introduced. Authors are sometimes asked to provide additional comments and explanations in response to remarks and queries from the language or technical editors.

Immediate publication

Manuscripts ready for publication are published online in the Early-Cite Section. The manuscripts are considered to be ready for publication when the final proofreading has been performed by the authors, and all concerns have been resolved.