The Editorial and Peer Review Process is a crucial part of scholarly publishing that ensures the submitted research’s quality, validity, and significance. At the Pakistan Journal of Chemistry, we are committed to upholding a rigorous and transparent peer review process to guarantee the publication and distribution of high-quality research. All original research articles, review articles, and short communications submitted to the Pakistan Journal of Chemistry undergo rigorous double-blind peer review by at least two independent reviewers with appropriate expertise in the subject area. Editors select reviewers independently based on their scientific expertise and require them to declare any potential conflicts of interest. Reviewers must have no personal, professional, institutional, or financial relationship that could compromise the objectivity of their assessment. Editorial decisions are based on the scientific quality, validity, originality, relevance, ethical compliance, and clarity of the manuscript. The final publication decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief or designated handling editor.  Authors are not involved in the selection of reviewers, and reviewers are not informed of the identity of the authors in the double-blind review process.

We encourage authors, reviewers, and readers to explore this page for a deeper understanding of your manuscript’s detailed steps before it is shared with the global scientific audience.

Here are the following steps to consider during the peer review process by a respected editorial team

1. Manuscript Submission

• Authors often submit their manuscripts to a journal through an online submission system. This includes uploading the paper and any required supplementary information and completing the submission of necessary forms (e.g., conflict of interest disclosures).

2. Initial Editorial Screening

• • The editorial team (including the editor-in-chief or handling editor) reviews the submission to check if it meets the Journal’s scope and basic standards (e.g., formatting and adherence to guidelines).
  • At this stage, manuscripts may be desk-rejected if they don’t meet basic criteria or fall outside the Journal’s scope.
  • Does the manuscript be of interest to the readership?
  • The manuscript’s scientific content and English language must meet acceptable standards for revision.?
  • Is the manuscript compliant with the Journal’s instructions for authors

3. Assignment of Reviewers

• • If the manuscript passes the initial screening, the Editor assigns expert peer reviewers (usually 2-3) who are knowledgeable in the field.
  • These reviewers are often anonymous to the authors and provide an independent evaluation of the work.

4. Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to the Pakistan Journal of Chemistry undergo a peer review process before final acceptance and publication. As such, our priority is to make decisions on all submitted manuscripts based on the recommendations of at least two independent reviewers. We carefully select well-qualified reviewers with many publications and in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and methodology to ensure this. Pakistan Journal of Chemistry offers a Double Blind Peer Review process in which both the reviewers and the Author (s) remain anonymous in the peer review model.

• Reviewers evaluate the manuscript’s originality, validity, methodology, and significance to the field.
• They may suggest:
  • Major revisions (significant changes or reanalysis),

• • Minor revisions (clarifications or small corrections),
  • Acceptance (publishable as is), or
  • Rejection (not suitable for publication).
• Authors receive anonymous feedback, allowing them to make necessary changes.

5. Selection of the referee for a peer review process

Reviewer selection is crucial to the peer review process, with criteria based on expertise, reputation, and recommendations. We avoid reviewers with slow responses, poor attention to detail, or overly harsh or lenient assessments. The Academic Editor is responsible for inviting reviewers, who access the manuscript only after accepting the invitation. At least two reviewers are assigned to each submission, typically given 15-30 days to complete their review. While editors strive for timely responses, delays can occur, but the editorial office maintains regular communication and sends weekly reminders to reviewers.

Unbiased/Confidential Evaluation Process

The Unbiased/Confidential Evaluation Process refers to the principles followed during peer review to ensure fairness and maintain the integrity of the review process. Here’s what it involves:

1.  Unbiased Evaluation

• Fair Judgment: Reviewers and editors must assess manuscripts exclusively based on their scientific merit, novelty, and relevance without being influenced by the Author’s identity, affiliations, nationality, gender, or personal biases.
• Conflict of Interest Management: Reviewers and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest (financial, professional, or personal) that could affect their judgment and must recuse themselves from reviewing such manuscripts.

2. Confidentiality

• Anonymity of Reviewers and Authors: Depending on the double-blind review model, reviewers’ and/or authors’ identities are kept confidential to prevent biased decisions or undue influence.
• Privacy of Data: Reviewers are expected to treat manuscripts as confidential documents and not disclose or discuss the content with anyone outside the review process.
• Protection of Research: The ideas and data in the manuscript remain confidential, confirming they are not shared or used before publication.

This process ensures a fair, objective, and private review, fostering trust in the scholarly publication system.

3. Referee Reports

Reviewers are not expected to make improvements, make corrections, or copyedit the manuscripts; language correction is not part of the peer review process. However, they recommend English corrections to the Authors.

Reviewers are requested to evaluate the following aspects of the manuscript under consideration:

• Suitability for the Journal.
• Originality of the work.
• Methodological reliability.
• Devotion to appropriate ethical guidelines.
• Proper citation of relevant literature.

4. Revisions and Resubmission

• • Authors respond to the reviewers’ comments and revise the manuscript.
  • The revised manuscript is resubmitted for another round of review, either by the same or new reviewers.

5. Editorial Decision

• The Editor makes a final decision based on the reviewers’ feedback and the revised manuscript.
• Possible decisions include acceptance, rejection, or further revisions.

6. Editorial Independence

At the Pakistan Journal of Chemistry, our publications follow a rigorous peer review process led by independent Editorial Boards, with no influence from in-house staff on decisions to accept or reject manuscripts. The final decision rests with the academic Editor, who considers the selection of qualified reviewers, the quality of their feedback, author responses, and the overall scientific merit of the paper. Our policies are designed to support the timely and open dissemination of scientific research to a broad audience.

7. Copyediting and Proofreading

• Upon acceptance of the Article, the manuscript undergoes copyediting to correct grammar, formatting, and adherence to style guidelines.
• Proofs are sent to the authors for final review before publication to catch any remaining errors.

8. Publication

• After final approval, the manuscript is published either online or in print, making it available to the scientific community.
• Published articles may be indexed in databases and archived.

This process ensures that only high-quality, well-vetted research gets published, maintaining the integrity and reliability of scientific literature.

Appeal against Decision

To appeal a decision against your manuscript, for this purpose, the Author is allowed to email the Editor who managed your submission and review process, providing a detailed explanation of your concerns or reasons for the appeal. Appeals are considered only in cases where a reviewer or Editor is believed to have made a significant error, demonstrated bias, or when a documented conflict of interest may have affected objectivity. These factors may result in a change to the original decision. The appeal will be reviewed by a panel of three editors, with the final decision based on majority rule. Appeals are typically processed within two weeks. While under appeal, the manuscript remains under formal consideration and should not be submitted elsewhere. Please note that second appeals are not accepted.

Special Issue Editorial and Peer-Review Policy

To ensure the academic integrity, transparency, and quality of Special Issues published by the Pakistan Journal of Chemistry, the following principles shall apply:

• The Editor-in-Chief retains ultimate editorial responsibility for all Special Issues and has final oversight of their academic and publication standards.
• All Special Issues must remain within the aims and scope of the journal and must contribute meaningfully to the field of chemistry and related disciplines.
• Guest Editors are subject to formal evaluation and approval by the Editor-in-Chief prior to their appointment.
• Independent external peer review is mandatory for every manuscript submitted to a Special Issue.
• Manuscripts in Special Issues are subject to the same rigorous peer-review and editorial standards as regular submissions to the journal.
• Guest Editors may not make unilateral publication decisions; all final publication decisions remain subject to the journal’s established editorial procedures and oversight.
• Manuscripts authored or co-authored by Guest Editors shall be handled independently, with appropriate safeguards to ensure impartiality and avoid conflicts of interest.
• Guest Editor-authored or co-authored papers shall not constitute more than 25% of the total papers published in a Special Issue, thereby maintaining editorial independence and minimizing potential conflicts of interest