Peer-Review Policy

HEJ upholds a rigorous peer review procedure to ensure the excellence and validity of its published research. This process is a double-blind review, maintaining anonymity for both authors and reviewers. Qualified experts in relevant fields conduct the review, evaluating submissions based on scientific significance, innovation, and alignment with the journal's objectives.

Preliminary Assessment: Manuscripts undergo initial scrutiny by the editorial team to ensure alignment with the journal's scope and publication standards. Manuscripts failing to meet criteria or showing over 15% similarity to existing works are promptly rejected. Compliance with formatting and citation guidelines is verified, and non-compliant manuscripts are returned for correction and resubmission.

Selection of Reviewers: The editorial board selects at least two independent reviewers with expertise in the manuscript's subject area and research experience. Reviewers and authors remain anonymous to each other, and efforts are made to avoid conflicts of interest. Reviewers are typically appointed within four weeks.

Evaluation Process: Reviewers assess the manuscript's scientific rigor, originality, validity, and relevance to the field within two weeks. They provide detailed feedback to authors, recommending acceptance, revisions, or rejection.

Editorial Decision: The editor-in-chief decides on acceptance, rejection, or revision requests based on reviewer feedback and adherence to publication standards. In cases of disparate reviewer opinions, additional reviewers may be consulted. Authors receive the editor's decision and anonymous reviewer comments to issue the initial decision within a month and publish accepted manuscripts within 2 - 6 months of acceptance.

Revision Stage: Authors revise their manuscripts according to reviewer suggestions, submitting a revised version and a response letter addressing feedback. Deadlines for revisions are typically two weeks for minor changes and four weeks for major revisions. Original reviewers re-evaluate manuscripts with major revisions to assess the effectiveness of revisions.

Final Steps to Publication: Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting and formatting before publication in their final form.

Through this comprehensive peer review process, HEJ ensures the publication of research that upholds the highest scholarly integrity and quality standards.