Peer Review Process

Scholarly Interdisciplinary Media for Academic Knowledge (SIMAK) adheres to a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the quality, integrity, and academic value of the manuscripts we publish. The peer review process is as follows:

1. Submission and Initial Screening

   • Authors submit their manuscripts through the SIMAK online submission system.
   • The editorial team conducts an initial screening to check for adherence to submission guidelines, relevance to the journal’s scope, and basic quality standards. Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria are desk-rejected.

2. Assignment to an Editor

   • Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to an appropriate section editor based on the subject area. The section editor oversees the peer review process for the manuscript.

3. Reviewer Selection

   • The section editor selects at least two independent reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. Reviewers are chosen based on their expertise, experience, and lack of conflicts of interest.

4. Double-Blind Review

   • SIMAK employs a double-blind review process, where both the reviewers and the authors remain anonymous to each other. This helps to ensure unbiased and objective evaluations.
   • Reviewers are provided with the manuscript and a review form that includes criteria such as originality, methodology, significance, clarity, and contribution to the field.

5. Reviewers’ Reports

   • Reviewers evaluate the manuscript and provide detailed feedback, including comments, suggestions, and recommendations. They also provide one of the following recommendations:
     • Accept
     • Minor revisions
     • Major revisions
     • Reject
   • The review process typically takes 4-6 weeks, but this may vary depending on the reviewers’ schedules and the complexity of the manuscript.

6. Editorial Decision

   • Based on the reviewers’ reports, the section editor makes an initial decision on the manuscript. This decision is reviewed by the editorial board if necessary.
   • Authors are notified of the decision, which could be accept, minor revisions, major revisions, or reject. Reviewers’ comments are shared with the authors to guide any required revisions.

7. Revision and Resubmission

   • If revisions are required, authors must revise their manuscripts accordingly and resubmit them within the specified timeframe. Revised manuscripts should include a detailed response to the reviewers’ comments.
   • The revised manuscript may be sent back to the original reviewers for further evaluation or reviewed by the editorial team to ensure all feedback has been adequately addressed.

8. Final Decision

   • The section editor, in consultation with the editorial board if needed, makes the final decision on the manuscript. Authors are notified of the final decision, which could be accept, accept with minor revisions, or reject.

9. Copyediting and Proofreading

   • Accepted manuscripts proceed to the copyediting and proofreading stages to ensure the final version is polished and free of errors.

10. Publication

    • Once copyediting and proofreading are complete, the manuscript is formatted for publication and included in the next issue of SIMAK. The journal is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December.

By following this thorough peer review process, SIMAK ensures the publication of high-quality, impactful research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge across disciplines.