Peer Review Process

This journal applies a rigorous and transparent peer review process to ensure the academic quality, originality, and scientific contribution of every manuscript published. All submitted manuscripts undergo the following evaluation stages:

1. Manuscript Submission

Authors must submit their manuscripts through the journal’s Online Journal System (OJS) in accordance with the journal template and author guidelines. All required metadata, including author information, affiliations, abstracts, and ethical statements, must be fully completed at the time of submission.

2. Initial Screening

The editorial team conducts an initial screening to ensure that:
  • The manuscript falls within the focus and scope of the journal,
  • The structure follows the Author Guidelines, and
  • All required administrative components are complete.
Manuscripts that fail to meet these basic requirements may be returned to the authors for preliminary revision or rejected at this stage (desk rejection).

3. Editorial Desk Review

The editor evaluates the manuscript for its:
  • originality and novelty,
  • relevance to the journal’s scope,
  • scientific contribution, and
  • overall methodological quality.
Based on this evaluation, the editor decides whether the manuscript should proceed to the peer review stage or be rejected at the editorial level.

4. Assignment of Reviewers and Peer Review Process

Manuscripts that pass the desk review are sent to two (2) independent reviewers with relevant expertise. The journal employs a double-blind peer review system to ensure objectivity.
Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on:
  • scientific quality and novelty,
  • methodological rigor,
  • clarity of data presentation and analysis,
  • relevance to the journal’s focus and scope, and
  • compliance with publication ethics.
Each reviewer provides one of the following recommendations:
  • Accept,
  • Minor Revision,
  • Major Revision, or
  • Reject.

5. Similarity Check (Post-Review)

After peer review, the editorial team conducts a similarity (plagiarism) check. If the similarity report indicates potential concerns, the manuscript may be returned to the authors for clarification and revision, or rejected, depending on the severity and context of overlap.

6. Author Revision

If revisions are required, the manuscript is returned to the authors for improvement. Authors must submit:
  • the revised manuscript, and
  • A Response to Reviewers document outlining how each comment has been addressed.

7. Final Decision by the Editor

After the revised manuscript is submitted, the editor reevaluates the revision, considering all reviewers’ comments and the similarity check results (where applicable).
Minor revisions may be decided directly by the editor once required improvements are completed. Major revisions are typically returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation.
In special cases, the editor may assign a new reviewer to ensure continuity and to ensure the appropriate expertise.
Based on the outcome, the editor may issue one of the following decisions:
  • Accept,
  • Further revision required, or
  • Reject.
The editor’s decision is final and will be communicated through the OJS system.

8. Copyediting and Layout

Accepted manuscripts undergo:
  • language editing and style refinement,
  • reference formatting according to APA Style, and
  • layout preparation for the journal’s publication format.

9. Proofreading and Author Approval

Authors are allowed to review the final proof before publication. Only minor typographical or technical corrections are permitted at this stage.

10. Online Publication

After final approval, the article is published online in the assigned journal issue or as an online-first article, in accordance with the journal’s publication schedule.

11. Transparency and Integrity of the Review Process

The peer review process is conducted in a fair, objective, and confidential manner. Reviewers are not charged any fees, and all parties must comply with the journal’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.