Peer Review Process
Single-Blind Peer Review
We operate a single-blind review process where reviewers' identities are hidden from the authors, but authors' identities are known to the reviewers. This helps ensure reviewers provide candid, unbiased feedback.
l Initial Screening: The editorial office will initially perform a preliminary evaluation of each submission in terms of Scope Check, Scientific Rigor & Novelty, Ethical & Research Integrity Check, Presentation & Language Check, Potential Impact & Reader Interest; manuscripts not satisfying these requirements will not proceed to external peer review.
l Peer Review: Manuscripts that pass the initial screening will be sent to at least two independent experts in the same field for review. Reviewers will provide detailed feedback on the manuscript’s scientific quality, analysis, novelty, and significance.
l Editorial Decision: The Scientific Editor and the Editor-in-Chief will make the final decision (Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject) based on the reviewers’ comments and the overall quality of the manuscript.
l Editorial Board Submissions: If a manuscript's author is an Editorial Board member, the entire review and editorial process will be managed by other members of the Editorial Board who have no conflicts of interest
The Scientific Editor and the Editor-in-Chief are responsible for the final decision on all manuscripts. This decision is based on the feedback from at least two expert reviewers. Possible decisions include:
l Accept: The manuscript is ready for publication.
l Minor Revisions: The manuscript can be accepted after minor changes are made.
l Major Revisions: The manuscript has potential but requires significant changes and will undergo a second round of review.
l Reject: The manuscript is not suitable for the journal.
Open Access (OA)
This journal is a Gold Open Access title. Submissions will be subject to an APC if accepted and published in the journal. Please note: Article Publication Charges (APCs) are currently waived. You can read more about APCs in following part of “Article Processing Charges (APC)” and whether you may be eligible for waivers or discounts, through your institution, funder, or a country waiver.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
To support our open-access model, we charge an Article Processing Charge for accepted manuscripts. This fee covers all costs associated with the publication process, including peer review management, editing, formatting, and online hosting.
l APC Waiver Policy: We offer the following waiver options to support researchers globally:
l For Low- and Middle-Income Countries: For submissions where the corresponding author is from a country classified by the World Bank or the United Nations as low- or middle-income, we may grant a full or partial APC waiver on a case-by-case basis.
l Based on Research Quality and Contribution: For exceptionally outstanding research that makes a significant contribution to the field, the editorial board reserves the right to offer a discretionary APC waiver.
l Special Circumstances: If an author is unable to pay the APC due to financial hardship, a written application with a detailed explanation and supporting documentation may be submitted to the editorial office for consideration.