The manuscript undergoes an initial review by the journal's editorial office to check adherence to guidelines, perform a plagiarism check, and evaluate its suitability for the journal.The submitted manuscript is screened for potential plagiarism using sophisticated software to ensure that proper credit is given to all sources. If the manuscript passes the initial review, it is sent for peer review. Independent experts in the field (reviewers) evaluate the quality, methodology, significance, and validity of the research and provide feedback and recommendations as follows:
- Decision: The editor makes a decision based on the peer reviewers' feedback, which may include acceptance, minor/major revision, or rejection.
- Revision and Resubmission: If revisions are requested, address the reviewers' comments and submit a revised version along with a cover letter explaining the changes made.
- Peer Review (Revised Manuscript): The revised manuscript may go through another round of peer review to ensure the addressed issues have been appropriately resolved.
- Acceptance and Production: Once the revised manuscript is deemed satisfactory, the editor accepts it for publication. The manuscript undergoes copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading by the journal's production team.
- Article Processing Charges (APCs): After acceptance, authors may be required to pay an Article Processing Charge to cover the costs associated with publishing the article. APCs vary depending on the journal and country.
- Author Approval: Authors may be asked to review and approve the final version of the manuscript before publication.
- Publication: The manuscript is published online or in print, assigned a digital object identifier (DOI), and made available to the public through the journal's website or other platforms.
- Post-Publication: After publication, the article may receive further attention, citations, and feedback from the research community.
It's important to note that the publication process can vary between different journals and disciplines, and the specific details of each step may vary.