Editorial Process

Editorial Process

IJSMM maintains a stringent double-blind peer-review system to ensure the highest standards of academic integrity and publication quality. This process involves evaluation by a minimum of two independent expert reviewers, culminating in a final editorial decision rendered by the assigned Action Editor. The following delineates the key stages of our review protocol:

Pre-Check Stage
Upon submission, the Executive Editor conducts an initial assessment to verify:

  • The manuscript's alignment with the journal's scope and special issue themes (if applicable);

  • The academic qualifications and professional background of all contributing authors;

  • Originality via iThenticate plagiarism screening, with generated reports identifying text duplication and providing corrective recommendations regarding citation enhancement or content modification.

Following this preliminary evaluation, the manuscript is assigned to an Action Editor whose expertise corresponds to the submission's subject area and who maintains no potential conflicts of interest with the authors. Should the Action Editor determine the manuscript to be outside the journal's purview or deficient in scholarly rigor, it will be summarily rejected without progression to peer review.

Peer Review Stage
A minimum of two independent review reports are secured for each qualifying submission. Reviewer selection adheres to the following criteria:

  • Absence of any conflicts of interest with manuscript authors;

  • Possession of a doctoral degree (PhD) in a relevant discipline;

  • Demonstrated scholarly activity evidenced by recent publications within the paper's field.

Reviewers submit comprehensive evaluations accompanied by one of four recommendations:

  1. Accept without revision (manuscript meets all publication standards);

  2. Consider after minor revision (requires limited amendments);

  3. Consider after major revision (substantive modifications necessary);

  4. Reject (fundamental flaws or insufficient novelty).

The Action Editor synthesizes these assessments to render the final publication decision, ensuring the journal's commitment to methodological excellence and academic novelty.