Peer Review Process
All manuscripts submitted to Sustainability: Theory, Practice and Policy are subject to a rigorous evaluation process to ensure the quality, validity, and originality of their content. The journal operates on a double-blind peer review model. This means that the identities of the authors are concealed from the reviewers, and the identities of the reviewers are concealed from the authors, ensuring an unbiased and objective assessment. Each manuscript is assessed by a minimum of two independent expert reviewers.
The following steps outline the journal's process from submission to publication:
1. Manuscript Submission: The author submits their manuscript through our online journal system.
2. Initial Editorial Review & Plagiarism Check: The Editorial Board first assesses the manuscript to ensure it aligns with the journal's aim and scope, adheres to the author guidelines, and demonstrates sufficient academic merit. At this stage, a plagiarism check is also conducted. Manuscripts that do not meet these initial requirements may be rejected or returned to the author for revision before further consideration.
3. Assignment to Reviewers: Once a manuscript passes the initial screening, the Section Editor assigns it to at least two qualified external reviewers who are experts in the relevant field.
4. Peer Review: Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on its originality, methodology, scientific contribution, clarity of presentation, and relevance. They provide detailed feedback and recommend a decision: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.
5. Editorial Decision: The Section Editor considers the reviewers' feedback and recommendations to make a final decision. The decision, along with the anonymous reviewers' comments, is communicated to the corresponding author.
6. Author Revision: If the decision is "Revision," the author is invited to revise the manuscript, addressing all comments from the reviewers and editor within a specified timeframe.
7. Final Editorial Evaluation: The revised manuscript is re-evaluated by the Section Editor to ensure that all concerns have been adequately addressed. In some cases, it may be sent back to the original reviewers for a second look.
8. Acceptance: Once the Section Editor is satisfied with the revised manuscript, it is formally accepted for publication.
9. Production Process: The accepted article enters the production phase, which includes:
a. Language Editing & Copyediting: The manuscript is professionally edited for grammar, spelling, and style.
b. Layout and Typesetting: The article is formatted into the journal's standard layout.
c. Author Proofreading: A final proof (galley) is sent to the author for a final check of any typesetting errors. No major content changes are permitted at this stage.
10 Online Publication: After the author's final approval, the formatted article is published online in the current issue, making it accessible to readers worldwide.
