Peer Review Policy

Overview

Journal of Scholarly Studies in Arts and Human Development (JSS-AHD) maintains a rigorous double-blind peer review policy to ensure the highest academic quality and integrity of published works.
All manuscripts submitted to the journal are evaluated on the basis of originality, methodological soundness, clarity, and scholarly contribution to the fields of arts, humanities, education, culture, and human development.

Double-Blind Review Process

JSS-AHD employs a double-blind peer review process, which means:

·       The identity of authors is concealed from reviewers.

·       The identity of reviewers is concealed from authors.

This process ensures fairness, minimizes bias, and promotes objective academic evaluation.

Stages of Peer Review

Stage 1: Initial Editorial Screening

·       Upon submission, each manuscript is first reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor to verify:

o   The manuscript fits the scope and aims of JSS-AHD.

o   The submission meets ethical and formatting standards.

o   The paper passes a plagiarism check (similarity index ≤ 15%).

·       Manuscripts not meeting these criteria are returned to authors for revision or declined before peer review.

Stage 2: Reviewer Assignment

·       Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to two or more qualified reviewers with subject expertise.

·       Reviewers are selected from the Editorial Board or external expert pool.

Stage 3: Review Evaluation

Each reviewer is requested to evaluate the manuscript based on the following criteria:

1.     Originality and contribution to knowledge.

2.     Relevance to the journal’s scope.

3.     Clarity of objectives, methods, and conclusions.

4.     Accuracy and adequacy of references.

5.     Theoretical or practical significance.

6.     Writing quality and overall presentation.

Reviewers provide constructive comments and one of the following recommendations:

·       Accept without revision

·       Minor revision required

·       Major revision required

·       Reject

Stage 4: Editorial Decision

·       The Associate Editor compiles the reviewers’ reports and provides a recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief.

·       The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection.

·       Authors are notified of the decision along with reviewers’ comments to guide revisions.

Stage 5: Revision and Resubmission

·       Authors receiving “minor” or “major” revisions must revise and resubmit within the specified time (usually 10–20 days).

·       Revised manuscripts are re-evaluated by the same reviewers when necessary.

Stage 6: Final Acceptance and Proofing

·       Once accepted, manuscripts undergo copyediting and proofreading for accuracy, formatting, and consistency.

·       The final version is approved by the Editor-in-Chief before publication.

 

Review Timelines

·       Initial editorial screening: 7–10 days

·       Peer review process: 3–5 weeks

·       Total decision time: approximately 4–6 weeks

Reviewer Ethics and Confidentiality

·       Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents.

·       They should not use any ideas or data from the reviewed papers for personal advantage.

·       Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest before accepting a review invitation.

·       All reviews must be objective, evidence-based, and respectful.

Author Responsibilities

·       Authors are expected to cooperate fully with the review process.

·       They must respond to reviewers’ comments clearly and systematically in the revision file.

·       Revised manuscripts must include a “Response to Reviewers” document detailing how each point was addressed.

Ethical Oversight

·       JSS-AHD follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines for peer review ethics.

·       Any case of plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship dispute, or unethical conduct will be handled per COPE recommendations.

Appeals and Complaints

·       Authors may appeal an editorial decision by submitting a formal written justification to the Editor-in-Chief.

·       The appeal will be reviewed by an independent editorial panel whose decision will be final.

Post-Publication Review

·       Readers and researchers are encouraged to report significant errors or ethical concerns found after publication.

·       The journal may issue corrections, retractions, or updates as necessary in accordance with COPE policy.

Reviewer Recognition

JSS-AHD acknowledges the essential role of peer reviewers by:

·       Issuing official reviewer certificates.

·       Including reviewers’ names annually (with consent) on the journal website.