Peer review & editorial decisions

From submission to decision

1. Editorial screening

   The journal checks scope, completeness, originality, ethics and the clarity of the research contribution. A manuscript may be declined without external review.

2. External assessment

   The handling editor selects suitably qualified reviewers and assesses competing interests. Consult the journal for its masking arrangements and reviewer requirements.

3. Revision

   Authors respond to the editor and reviewers and explain changes. Further assessment may be needed.

4. Editorial decision

   The editor weighs the evidence and reviewer advice. Submission, payment or a fee-waiver request does not guarantee acceptance.

Review policies by journal

Decisions & timing

Time to decision depends on screening, reviewer availability, revisions and the subject area. Authors should consult the journal for an update on an existing manuscript. This publisher page does not guarantee a decision within a fixed number of weeks.

Appeals, complaints & corrections

For an editorial appeal or a concern about a published article, contact the relevant journal’s editorial office with the manuscript ID or DOI, the grounds and supporting records. Identify any conflict involving the handling editor so the matter can be assessed independently.

Publisher-level complaints can be sent through the contact page. Corrections, expressions of concern and retractions should be reasoned, linked to the affected work and preserve the publication record except where exceptional legal, privacy or safety grounds require removal.