Peer Review Process

Taro Gau: Journal of Islamic Studies is committed to maintaining high standards of academic excellence through a rigorous Double-Blind Peer Review process. This means that the identities of the reviewer and the author are concealed from each other throughout the review process.

1. Initial Screening (Desk Review)

Upon receipt, all submitted manuscripts are first reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor. At this stage, manuscripts are checked for:

  • Scope Suitability: Does the article fit the journal's focus and scope?
  • Compliance: Does the manuscript follow the Author Guidelines and Template?
  • Plagiarism: All manuscripts are screened using Turnitin Turnitin. Articles with a similarity index above 20% will be immediately rejected.

Manuscripts that fail to meet these initial criteria will be rejected without being sent to reviewers (Desk Reject).

2. The Review Process

If the manuscript passes the initial screening, it is assigned to at least two (2) independent experts in the relevant field. The review process follows these principles:

  • Anonymity: Reviewers do not know the author's identity, and authors do not know the reviewers' identities.
  • Criteria: Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on originality, methodology, clarity, contribution to the field, and relevance of references.
  • Timeframe: Reviewers are expected to complete their review within 4-8 weeks. Editors will send reminders to ensure timeliness.

3. Decision Making

The Editor considers the feedback provided by the peer reviewers and arrives at a decision. The following are the possible decisions:

  • Accept Submission: The journal will publish the paper in its original form (rare).
  • Revisions Required (Minor): The paper is accepted pending small corrections. Authors are given a specific time to revise.
  • Resubmit for Review (Major): The paper requires significant changes. It will be returned to the author for major revision and may undergo another round of review.
  • Decline Submission (Reject): The paper is flawed, not original, or does not meet the journal's standards. It will not be published.

4. Workflow Summary

  1. Submission: Author submits the manuscript via OJS.
  2. Desk Review: Editor checks format, scope, and plagiarism (Turnitin).
  3. Reviewer Assignment: Editor assigns at least 2 anonymous reviewers.
  4. Peer Review: Reviewers assess the manuscript and send comments to the Editor.
  5. Editor Decision: Editor compiles reviews and sends a decision (Accept/Revise/Reject) to the Author.
  6. Revision (if applicable): Author revises the manuscript based on feedback.
  7. Final Decision: Editor accepts the revised manuscript.
  8. Production: Copyediting, layout, and publishing.