Peer review is the system used to assess the quality of a manuscript before it is published. Independent researchers in the relevant research area assess submitted manuscripts for originality, validity and significance to help editors determine whether a manuscript should be published in their journal.

 

When a manuscript is submitted to a journal, it is assessed to see if it meets the criteria for submission. If it does, the editorial team will select potential peer reviewers within the field of research to peer-review the manuscript and make recommendations in a single-blind reviewing process.

 

The peer review process

In general, the peer review process includes the following steps:

 

1- Submission of Paper

The corresponding or submitting author submits the paper to the journal. JPSDM uses the online system for the submission of manuscripts.

 

2- Editorial Office Assessment

The journal checks the paper’s composition and arrangement against the journal’s author guidelines to ensure it includes the required sections and stylizations. At the same time, the article is passed through a plagiarism check; if it passes this step, it will be transferred to the reviewer of the relevant field for evaluation (invitation sent to them via email). Depending on the severity and extent of plagiarism, the journal might conduct a more thorough investigation, contacting the authors for explanations or additional evidence before making a decision

 

3- Invitation to Reviewers

The handling editor sends invitations to individuals they believe would be relevant in that field. As responses are received, further invitations are issued, if necessary, until the required number of acceptances is obtained – commonly, 2-3 reviewers. Reviewer selection prioritizes expertise, objectivity, and diversity. Chosen reviewers possess deep subject knowledge and relevant experience. Objectivity and adherence to ethical guidelines are crucial. Timeliness, professionalism, and constructive feedback provision are valued. Diversity in reviewers' backgrounds fosters varied perspectives. Overall, the aim is to select fair, knowledgeable, and diverse reviewers to enhance manuscript quality.

 

4- Review is Conducted

The reviewer takes notes to build a detailed point-by-point review. The review is then submitted to the journal, with a recommendation to accept or reject it. reviewers are typically expected to submit their reviews within a 14-day timeframe.

 

5- Journal Evaluates the Reviews

The handling editor considers all the returned reviews before making an overall decision. If the reviews differ widely, the editor may invite an additional reviewer to get an extra opinion before making a decision.

 

6- Review Report Communicated

The handling editor will communicate the decision of the review report to the author via the online system. The handling editor will mention the time given to the author to resend the revised manuscript.

 

7- Review

After the first single-blind peer review, if needed, the article will be sent again to the second expert peer reviewer.

 

8- Editing of Manuscript

If the revised manuscript is accepted, it is sent to the editing team, and the editing of the manuscript will be done.

 

9- Final Process

The author gets the acceptance letter and receives the Galley proof. After publishing the article, the author will get the PDF of the paper where page numbers are mentioned.