Zendo Academic Publishing Journals (ZAP Journals) review process is designed to ensure the highest quality and integrity of published academic content. This comprehensive review process outlines the steps and criteria involved in the evaluation of submitted manuscripts, from initial submission to publication.
Manuscript Submission: Authors submit their manuscripts electronically through the ZAP Journals’ online submission system.
Preliminary Screening: Upon submission, the Editorial Office conducts an initial screening to ensure that the manuscript meets the journal’s scope and formatting guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned to authors for revision or declined at this stage.
Editor Assignment: Manuscripts passing the preliminary screening are assigned to an Associate Editor or Handling Editor who is an expert in the relevant field. The Editor will oversee the review process and make decisions based on the reviewers’ recommendations.
Peer Review: The assigned Editor selects independent peer reviewers with expertise in the subject matter. ZAP Journals typically employs a double-blind peer review process, where the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed.
Peer Review Evaluation: Reviewers assess the manuscript for its scientific quality, originality, methodology, clarity, and adherence to ethical standards. Reviewers provide constructive feedback and make recommendations regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection.
Editorial Decision: Based on the reviewers’ reports and recommendations, the Editor makes one of the following decisions: a. Accept with minor revisions: Manuscripts with minor issues that can be addressed through revision. b. Revise and resubmit: Manuscripts requiring significant revisions and reevaluation. c. Reject: Manuscripts that do not meet the journal’s standards for quality and originality.
Author Revision: If revisions are required, authors are given a reasonable timeline to address the reviewers’ and Editor’s comments. Authors must provide a point-by-point response to each comment.
Re-review (if necessary): After receiving the revised manuscript, the Editor may send it back to the original reviewers for re-evaluation. This step ensures that the authors have adequately addressed previous concerns.
Final Decision: The Editor makes the final decision on the manuscript’s acceptance or rejection, considering the revised version and reviewers’ feedback.
Copyediting and Proofreading: Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting and proofreading to ensure clarity, grammar, and adherence to journal style guidelines. Authors may be asked to make final revisions at this stage.
Publication: Once the manuscript is deemed ready for publication, it is published in the relevant ZAP Journal, along with a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for permanent citation.
Post-publication: ZAP Journals may conduct post-publication reviews, corrections, and retractions if necessary, based on further evaluations or ethical concerns.
Ethical Considerations: ZAP Journals follow strict ethical guidelines to ensure the integrity of the review process, including confidentiality of manuscripts, avoidance of conflicts of interest, and adherence to plagiarism and ethical research standards.