Peer Review Process

 

The International Journal of Community Health Sciences (IJCHS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity, methodological rigor, and publication ethics. All submitted manuscripts undergo a comprehensive double-blind peer-review process, ensuring that both author and reviewer identities remain anonymous throughout the evaluation.

Editorial Workflow & Timeline Overview

IJCHS Editorial Workflow Timeline Figure 1: Comprehensive Editorial and Peer Review Workflow Timeline of IJCHS.

Detailed Editorial Stages

1. Submission & Initial Screening

Steps 1 – 4
  • Submission (Day 0): The author submits the manuscript online via the OJS portal following the journal template.
  • Administrative Screening (3 Days): The editorial office verifies completeness, adherence to guidelines, and required declarations.
  • Initial Editorial Assessment (5 Days): Editors evaluate scientific novelty, scope alignment, methodology, and ethical compliance.
  • Similarity Screening (2 Days): Similarity checks (e.g., Turnitin) are performed to ensure originality. Manuscripts failing initial screening or exceeding similarity thresholds may be rejected without external review.

2. Double-Blind Peer Review

Steps 5 – 7
  • Reviewer Invitation (5 Days): Qualified peer reviewers/experts in the relevant domain are invited.
  • Peer Review (21 Days): Reviewers independently assess originality, methodological rigor, statistical analysis, and ethical standards.
  • First Editorial Decision (≤ 45 Days): Based on reviewer reports, the editor issues a decision: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, Reject & Resubmit, or Reject.

3. Revision & Decision

Steps 8 – 9
  • Author Revision (14–30 Days): Authors address reviewers' comments and submit a revised manuscript along with a point-by-point response.
  • Final Decision (7 Days): Editors review the revised submission (and may re-invite reviewers if necessary) to issue the final decision.

4. Production & Publication

Steps 10 – 15
  • Copyediting (7 Days) & Proofreading (3 Days): Language enhancement, typographical adjustments, and final author proof checks.
  • Layout Editing (5 Days) & DOI Registration (2 Days): Conversion into official publication format and DOI assignment.
  • Online First Publication (≤ 7 Days): Article is published online ahead of issue compilation.
  • Issue Publication: Compiled into official biannual issues in June and December.

Reviewer Ethical Commitment

Reviewers are expected to maintain absolute confidentiality, declare any competing financial or personal conflicts of interest before accepting invitations, and provide unbiased, constructive evaluation to assist authors in enhancing their work.