A transparent, four-stage process from manuscript submission through to open-access publication — typically 29 days to a first decision.
Upon receipt, a manuscript is assigned an editorial office ID. Our system runs automated integrity checks including plagiarism screening. The editor confirms scope, completeness, and formatting. Manuscripts that pass these checks are forwarded to a handling editor within 72 hours.
The handling editor identifies at least two suitably qualified reviewers from our 1,200-strong panel. Reviewers are invited with a structured rubric and provided a four-week window. Our process is double-blind: neither authors nor reviewers know the other's identity.
Once reviews are returned, the handling editor synthesises reviewer comments and issues one of four decisions: accept, minor revisions, major revisions, or reject. Authors receive substantive feedback with every decision.
Accepted manuscripts are typeset, DOI-assigned via CrossRef, and archived in preservation repositories. Articles go live on the journal page under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence — freely available worldwide on day one.
Our median time from submission to first decision is 29 days. Complex manuscripts or specialised subjects may take longer — we keep you informed throughout via the author portal.
Reviewers contribute substantial time and expertise to our process. We provide CrossRef credit and optional ORCID sync for every review completed, and we recognise outstanding reviewers annually on each journal page.
If authors believe a decision was reached in error, they may appeal in writing to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of the decision. Appeals are considered by an editor who was not involved in the original decision.
