International Journal of Applied and Behavioral Sciences (IJABS)

Peer Review Policy and Reviewer Guidelines

The International Journal of Applied and Behavioral Sciences (IJABS) is committed to ensuring the quality, integrity, and scholarly value of all published content through a rigorous and transparent peer review process. The journal follows internationally accepted best practices in academic peer review to support fairness, objectivity, and academic excellence.

Peer Review Policy

Type of Peer Review

IJABS follows a double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process.

Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial screening by the editorial office to assess:

• Relevance to the journal’s aims and scope
• Compliance with submission guidelines
• Originality and academic quality
• Ethical considerations and completeness

Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be rejected without external peer review.

Reviewer Selection

• Each manuscript is reviewed by a minimum of two independent experts in the relevant field.
• Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise, research experience, and absence of conflicts of interest.

Review Process

Reviewers are requested to evaluate manuscripts based on:

• Originality and contribution to the field
• Methodological rigor and validity
• Clarity, structure, and coherence
• Relevance to applied and behavioral sciences
• Appropriateness of references and citations

Editorial Decision

Based on reviewer reports and editorial assessment, the Editor-in-Chief may issue one of the following decisions:

• Accept
• Minor Revision
• Major Revision
• Reject

The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

Review Timeline

IJABS strives to complete the peer review process within a reasonable timeframe. Authors are informed promptly of editorial decisions and required revisions.

Ethical Considerations in Peer Review

The peer review process at IJABS adheres to ethical standards and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Any suspected ethical misconduct identified during peer review is handled in accordance with the journal’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

Reviewer Guidelines

Role of Reviewers

Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the academic quality of IJABS by providing constructive, objective, and timely evaluations of submitted manuscripts.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

• Provide fair, unbiased, and constructive feedback
• Evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit
• Maintain confidentiality of all manuscript content
• Declare any potential conflicts of interest
• Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared, discussed, or used for personal advantage.

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence their assessment. If a conflict exists, reviewers should decline the review invitation.

Ethical Conduct

Reviewers should report any suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, or other ethical concerns to the editorial office.

Acknowledgement of Reviewers

IJABS recognizes the valuable contribution of reviewers to the scholarly community. Reviewer identities remain confidential unless explicit consent is provided.

Transparency and Continuous Improvement

The peer review policies and reviewer guidelines of IJABS are periodically reviewed and updated to reflect evolving best practices in scholarly publishing and the expectations of the international academic community.