Peer Review Policy

Initial Evaluation and Decision

All submissions received by Journal of Educational and Psychological Research editorial office undergo an initial screening by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Manager. This screening ensures that submissions comply with the journal’s author guidelines, ethical policies, and scope. Manuscripts that do not meet formatting requirements will be returned to the corresponding author(s) for revision and resubmission within one week. Submissions that fail to align with the journal’s ethical standards or scope will be rejected without further review.

If a submission is deemed suitable, it will be checked for originality using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin). Manuscripts with a similarity index of less than 20% will proceed to the peer-review process. Those exceeding this threshold will be returned to the author(s) for revision or rejected.

 

Peer Review

Journal of Educational and Psychological Research applies a double-blind peer-review process, ensuring that neither authors nor reviewers are aware of each other’s identities. If a manuscript passes the initial screening, it will be assigned to a section editor who evaluates its scientific merit and recommends reviewers within the article’s field. The Editor-in-Chief will then assign the manuscript to at least two independent reviewers, who may include editorial board members or reviewers suggested by the author(s).

Reviewers are given three to four weeks to evaluate the manuscript and submit their reports, which include one of the following recommendations:

  • Accept
  • Accept with Minor Revisions
  • Accept with Major Revisions
  • Reject

If there is a significant discrepancy between the reviewers’ recommendations (e.g., one recommends acceptance while the other recommends rejection), the Editor-in-Chief may invite a third reviewer to make a final decision. The first round of the review process typically takes 5 weeks, with a maximum duration of three months.

 

Revision Process

Manuscripts requiring revisions will be returned to the corresponding author(s) along with the reviewers’ comments. Authors are expected to submit the revised manuscript within two weeks. Requests for extensions are acceptable if made before the revision deadline. Failure to meet the deadline will result in the manuscript being considered withdrawn.

The corresponding author(s) must respond to the reviewers’ comments in a point-by-point manner, clearly addressing each suggestion. Disagreements with reviewer recommendations should be justified. The revised manuscript will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief to ensure compliance with the reviewers’ feedback.

 

Final Decision

After considering all reviewer comments, the Editor-in-Chief will make one of the following final decisions:

  1. Publish: The manuscript is accepted for publication.
  2. Accept with Minor Revisions: The author(s) are asked to make minor changes, and the revised manuscript is reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief. Once approved, the manuscript is accepted.
  3. Major Revisions Required: The manuscript undergoes another round of review after revision. Authors are given two weeks to resubmit, and the revised version is sent to the original reviewers. The Editor-in-Chief will then make a final recommendation, which may include acceptance, further minor revisions, or rejection.
  4. Reject: The manuscript is rejected immediately if the Editor-in-Chief or two reviewers recommend rejection. Reasons for rejection may include lack of originality, inappropriate subject matter, or incorrect results that do not contribute to the field.

 

Author Appeals

If a manuscript is rejected, the corresponding author(s) will be notified of the reasons for rejection. Authors may appeal the decision by emailing the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected]. The appeal must include detailed justification and point-by-point responses to the reviewers’ or editors’ comments. The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal with the editorial team and provide a final recommendation, which may include acceptance, further review, or upholding the original rejection. Rejection decisions are final and cannot be reversed.

 

Publication

Upon acceptance, the corresponding author(s) will receive an acceptance letter, including details about publication fees. The manuscript will then undergo technical editing and design before being sent to the publisher for final publication.