Manuscripts submitted for publication in the journal are subject to double-blind peer review. They are preliminarily screened by the Editor for compliance with the aims and scope, and may be rejected at this stage. The successful submission is then assigned to a member of the Editorial Board (editor in charge) as part of the reviewer selection process.
The editor in charge in agreement with the Editor appoints 2 independent reviewers who are renowned specialists in the relevant fields and have a different affiliation from that of the author’s (authors’).
The appointed reviewers must have no conflict of interest regarding either the submission or the institutions financing the research. In the preparation of the report on the submitted manuscript, they must adhere to the Ethical Guidelines for peer reviewers by COPE. They declare compliance with the above in a statement addressed to the Editor.
The written report on the submitted manuscript is prepared using the article review form.
Manuscripts are evaluated according to their compliance with the aim and scope, novelty, value added to the field, completeness of content (including the references) and its use, compliance with the editorial requirements and the language standard. In the conclusion, they are either recommended to be accepted as they are, be revised and, after minor revisions, resubmitted, be revised and, after major revisions, resubmitted, or rejected, whichever the case may be.
In case the report fails to comply with the required standard or is not delivered within a pre-specified deadline, the editor in charge either urges the reviewer to improve his/her work or, in agreement with the Editor, appoints a more suitable substitute.
The final decision regarding the submitted manuscript rests with the Editorial Board which, during the process of reaching its decision considers the reviewers’ reports and the recommendation of the editor in charge.
The names of the reviewers contributing to the journal remain confidential until they are disclosed in the last volume of the given year.
