Review Process and Guidelines

The International Journal of Innovative Science, Technology and Society (IJSTS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly publishing through a rigorous, fair, timely, and transparent peer-review process. Every submitted manuscript is evaluated on its scientific merit, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, clarity of presentation, and overall contribution to its field.

IJSTS welcomes submissions from researchers, educators, professionals, and students worldwide. All manuscripts are treated confidentially and are reviewed solely on academic merit regardless of the authors' nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, ethnicity, or career stage.

Editorial Screening

Upon submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial assessment by the Editorial Office. During this stage, editors determine whether the manuscript:

• Fits the aims and scope of IJSTS.
• Presents original and unpublished research.
• Meets basic scientific and academic quality standards.
• Complies with the journal's formatting requirements.
• Contains all required sections, figures, tables, and references.
• Adheres to ethical guidelines for research and publication.

Manuscripts that do not meet these basic requirements may be returned to the authors for revision before peer review or declined without external review.

Plagiarism and Publication Ethics

IJSTS maintains a strict policy against plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, inappropriate authorship, and unethical research practices. All submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection software before entering peer review.

Authors are expected to submit only original work and properly acknowledge all sources through appropriate citations. Manuscripts with substantial overlap with previously published work may be rejected. Serious cases of publication misconduct may be reported to the authors' institutions or funding agencies when appropriate.

Peer Review Process

Manuscripts that successfully pass the editorial screening are assigned to qualified reviewers with expertise in the relevant subject area. IJSTS follows a single-blind peer review process in which reviewers know the identity of the authors, while authors remain unaware of the reviewers' identities.

Each manuscript is normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. If the reviewers' recommendations differ substantially, the Editor-in-Chief or an additional reviewer may be assigned to provide further evaluation before a final editorial decision is made.

All reviewers are expected to conduct their evaluations objectively, maintain confidentiality, declare any conflicts of interest, and follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.

Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Originality and significance of the research.
• Relevance to the scope of IJSTS.
• Quality and clarity of the title and abstract.
• Adequacy of the literature review.
• Scientific soundness of the methodology.
• Appropriateness of the research design.
• Validity of data collection and statistical analysis.
• Reproducibility and transparency of the methods.
• Quality and interpretation of the results.
• Whether the conclusions are supported by the findings.
• Innovation and contribution to existing knowledge.
• Organization, logical flow, and readability.
• Quality of figures, tables, and supplementary materials.
• Accuracy and completeness of references.
• English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and scientific writing quality.
• Compliance with ethical standards for studies involving humans, animals, or sensitive data.

Editorial Decision

After considering the reviewers' reports, the handling editor and Editor-in-Chief make one of the following decisions:

• Accept for publication.
• Accept pending minor revisions.
• Invite major revisions and resubmission.
• Reject the manuscript.

Authors receiving revision requests should carefully address every reviewer comment and provide a detailed response explaining how each concern has been resolved. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation when necessary.

Review Timeline

IJSTS strives to provide an efficient review process while maintaining high academic standards. Reviewers are generally requested to submit their reports within 7–14 business days. However, review times may vary depending on the complexity of the manuscript and reviewer availability.

Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts and reviewer reports are treated as confidential documents. Editors and reviewers may not disclose, distribute, or use unpublished material from a submission for personal research or professional advantage.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors and reviewers must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could influence their evaluation of a manuscript. Individuals with significant conflicts of interest will not participate in the review or editorial decision.

Author Rights

Authors may withdraw their manuscript at any time before final acceptance by notifying the Editorial Office in writing. Authors are encouraged to communicate promptly regarding any questions or concerns during the review process.

Peer Review Philosophy

IJSTS believes that rigorous peer review is essential for maintaining scientific integrity, improving manuscript quality, and advancing knowledge. Our editorial philosophy emphasizes fairness, objectivity, constructive feedback, transparency, confidentiality, and respect for authors and reviewers alike. We strive to ensure that every manuscript receives an unbiased, professional, and timely evaluation based solely on its scholarly merit.