Editorial Process
The Editorial Process for authors involves several detailed steps:
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Submission: Authors submit their manuscript through the journal's online system, ensuring compliance with submission guidelines.
For the "Submission" step in the Editorial Process, authors begin by preparing their manuscript according to the Author Guidelines. This includes structuring the manuscript with the required sections, adhering to word count limits, and including all necessary figures, tables, and references. Authors must also prepare a cover letter highlighting the significance and novelty of their research. Upon completion, the manuscript is submitted through the journal's online submission portal, where authors are required to register and fill in metadata fields, such as author names, affiliations, and contact information, ensuring a smooth and efficient submission process. -
Initial Screening: The editorial team conducts a preliminary review for adherence to journal standards and scope.
Upon manuscript submission, the editorial team conducts an Initial Screening to assess compliance with the journal's submission guidelines, scope, and thematic relevance. This step ensures the manuscript is complete, adhering to formatting requirements, and falls within the journal's areas of interest. It includes checking for the completeness of the submission, such as the inclusion of all necessary documents, adherence to ethical standards, and preliminary assessment for originality to avoid plagiarism. Manuscripts not meeting these criteria may be returned to authors for correction or rejected outright. -
Preprint Publication: Manuscripts that pass initial screening may be published as preprints, allowing early exposure and feedback from the broader community.
After the initial screening, manuscripts suitable for further consideration can be published as preprints by SciFormat Publishing at no cost to the authors. This early sharing of research findings allows authors to receive feedback from the wider scientific community, enhancing the visibility and impact of their work. Preprints serve as an important medium for accelerating the dissemination of research advancements and facilitating collaboration, even before the formal peer review process is completed. -
Peer Review: Manuscripts are then subjected to a rigorous peer review by external experts, evaluating the submission’s scientific merit and relevance.
The peer review phase is crucial, as manuscripts are assessed by external AI experts in a single-blind model, where reviewers know the authors' identities but not vice versa. Reviewers critically evaluate the manuscript for originality and methodological soundness, offering feedback for improvement. They recommend actions such as Reject, Major/Minor Changes, or Publish Unaltered. This feedback is vital for refining the manuscript, ensuring its quality and significance are enhanced before the editorial team makes the final decision. For a deeper understanding of the process, please refer to our Peer Review Process page. -
Author Revisions: Authors may need to revise their manuscripts based on peer review feedback.
After receiving feedback from the peer review, authors are tasked with revising their manuscripts. This involves addressing the suggested improvements or concerns, whether they require major or minor changes. The revision process is an opportunity for authors to enhance the clarity, depth, and impact of their research based on expert evaluations. Once revisions are complete, the manuscript is resubmitted for further review or final consideration, moving closer to publication. This iterative process ensures the work meets the journal's standards for scientific rigor and contribution to the field. -
Final Decision: The editorial team decides on the manuscript's status (accept, revise, reject) based on the peer reviews and any revisions submitted.
After revising the manuscript based on peer review feedback, the editorial team makes a final decision: Accept, Major/Minor Revisions Required, or Reject. Accepted manuscripts move to publication, and authors are then invoiced according to the journal's Article Processing Charges (APC), detailed on the journal's website. The APC supports open-access publication, ensuring the research is freely accessible. -
Publication: Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading before final publication online.
Once a manuscript receives final acceptance, it undergoes copyediting for language, formatting, and adherence to journal standards. Following this, typesetting and layout are finalized, and proofs are sent to authors for a last review to catch any minor errors. After author approval, the article is published online, and accessible to all under the journal's open access policy. The APC facilitates this process, ensuring the research reaches a wide audience promptly. -
Post-Publication Period: Following publication, articles are promoted for visibility and engagement, indexed in scientometrics databases to boost discoverability, and serve as a catalyst for scholarly discussions, enhancing their impact within the academic sphere.
After publication, the article enters a phase of engagement and visibility, where it can gather citations and foster discussions within the academic community. Authors are encouraged to share their work widely, and the journal may promote it further. Additionally, articles are indexed in scientometrics databases, significantly enhancing their discoverability and impact. This period is crucial for extending the research's reach and embedding it into the broader knowledge base of the field.
