Peer Review Process

Peer Review Process

Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences (JOPAS)

1. Review Model

JOPAS employs a double-blind peer review model, where the identities of both authors and reviewers are concealed from each other throughout the review process. This ensures objectivity and impartiality in evaluating all submitted manuscripts.

2. Initial Editorial Assessment

Upon submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial assessment by the editorial team within 2 weeks. The manuscript is checked for:

  • Adherence to the journal's scope and aims
  • Compliance with author guidelines and formatting requirements
  • Plagiarism screening using appropriate detection software
  • Sufficient scientific quality and originality
  • Presence of all required sections (abstract, references, ethical statements, etc.)

Manuscripts that fail to meet these criteria may be rejected without external review (desk rejection) or returned to authors for revisions before being sent for peer review.

3. Selection of Reviewers

The editorial team selects potential reviewers based on:

  • Expertise and specialization relevant to the manuscript topic
  • Academic qualifications and publication record
  • Absence of conflicts of interest
  • Past reviewing performance (timeliness, quality, and constructiveness)

A minimum of two reviewers are invited per manuscript. Reviewers are typically given 2–3 weeks to complete their review. If a reviewer declines or does not respond in a timely manner, alternative reviewers are invited.

4. Review Criteria

Reviewers are asked to evaluate manuscripts based on:

  • Originality and novelty of the research
  • Significance and contribution to the field
  • Methodological soundness and rigour
  • Clarity and quality of presentation
  • Appropriateness of data analysis and interpretation
  • Adequacy of references and literature review
  • Adherence to ethical standards

5. Review Recommendations

Reviewers submit their recommendations along with detailed comments to the authors and editor. The possible recommendations are:

  • Accept: The manuscript is suitable for publication in its current form
  • Minor Revision: Small corrections are required and no further review is needed
  • Major Revision: Substantial revisions are required; the manuscript will be re-reviewed
  • Reject and Resubmit: The manuscript has potential but requires fundamental changes; if the authors choose to resubmit, it will be treated as a new submission
  • Reject: The manuscript does not meet the journal's standards, scope, or ethical requirements

6. Editorial Decision

Based on the reviewers' reports and the editor's own assessment, the editor makes one of the decisions listed above. The decision is communicated to the corresponding author along with the reviewers' comments (anonymized). The target timeline is:

  • First peer review decision: within 60 days of submission
  • Revised manuscript re-review: within 30 days of resubmission

7. Revision and Re-review

Authors are given 30 days to submit a revised manuscript for minor revisions and 60 days for major revisions. Revised manuscripts must be accompanied by a detailed response to reviewers' comments, indicating how each comment has been addressed. Revised manuscripts may be sent back to the original reviewers for re-evaluation.

8. Final Decision and Acceptance

Once a manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author receives an acceptance notification. The manuscript enters the production phase, including copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading. The article is published within 4 weeks of acceptance.

9. Post-Publication Peer Review

JOPAS welcomes post-publication comments and critiques. Readers can submit letters to the editor regarding published articles. If significant issues are identified post-publication, the journal will follow COPE guidelines for corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate.

10. Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of the decision. The appeal must include specific, substantive reasons for the reconsideration. The Editor-in-Chief's decision following the appeal will be final.

11. Transparency

JOPAS provides authors with the number of reviewers assigned and the general timeline for each review stage. The journal publishes its acceptance rate, average review times, and other metrics annually to maintain transparency in the peer review process.

Last Updated: July 2026
JOPAS Editorial Team