Peer Review Process
The Peer Review process is a process where the journal assesses the quality of the article before it is published through review activities (comments) by relevant experts in the field as reviewers. This process aims to help editors determine whether a proposed article can be published in JPTE.
Important points in the Peer Review Process:
- Articles submitted to JPTE first go through initial screening by the editorial team.
- Articles that pass the screening will be sent to peer reviewers for review.
- Peer reviewers independently make recommendations to the journal editor as to whether the article should be rejected or accepted (with or without revisions).
- The journal editor considers all feedback from the peer reviewers and makes a decision to accept or reject the article.
The Peer Review Process for journal publications is a quality control mechanism, where experts evaluate articles with the aim of ensuring the quality of published articles. However, peer reviewers do not make a decision to accept or reject a paper, but provide a recommended decision. At JPTE, the decision-making authority lies solely with the journal editor or the journal editorial board.
How does it work?
When an article is submitted to the journal, it is assessed to see if it meets the criteria for submission. If it does, the editorial team will select potential peer reviewers within the research field to peer review the article and make recommendations. JPTE uses a type of single blind peer reviewer where the reviewer knows the author's name, but the author does not know who reviewed their article unless the reviewer chooses to sign their report.
Why peer review?
Peer review is an integral part of scientific publishing that confirms the validity of articles. Peer reviewers are experts who donate their time to help improve the articles they review.
Peer review steps:
1. Article Submission
Authors submit articles to JPTE online through OJS.
2. Editorial Team Assessment
The editorial team checks the article to ensure it conforms to the journal template. The quality of the article is not assessed at this point.
3. Assessment by the Editor-in-Chief
The editor-in-chief checks that the article is appropriate for the journal, original, and interesting. Otherwise, the article may be rejected without further review.
4. Invitation of Peer Reviewers
The editor sends invitations to individuals who are suitable reviewers.
5. Response to Invitation
Prospective reviewers weigh the invitation against the reviewer's own expertise, conflicts of interest, and availability. The reviewer then accepts or declines. If possible, when declining, the reviewer suggests an alternative reviewer.
6. Review Performed
The reviewer takes the time to read the article several times to form an initial impression of an article and makes notes for a detailed point-by-point review. The review is then submitted to the journal, with a recommendation to accept or reject it or with a request for revision before reconsideration.
7. Journal Evaluates Reviews
Editors consider all returned reviews before making an overall decision. If reviews differ greatly, the editor may invite additional reviewers to get additional opinions before making a decision.
8. Decision Communicated
The editor emails the decision to the author including relevant reviewer comments.
9. Next Steps
If accepted, the article is sent to production. If rejected or sent back, the author is asked to revise with comments from the reviewers to help the author improve the article. At this stage, the reviewer is also sent an email to inform the author of the revision. If the article is revised again, the reviewer expects a new version of the article, but if only minor changes are requested, the review is done by the editor.
