Peer Review

World of Science applies independent, impartial and confidential peer review. The aim of review is to assess the scientific quality of a manuscript and its fit with the journal’s fields.

Stages

1. Receipt and initial check — the executive secretary registers the manuscript, confirms receipt and checks completeness. The editorial office aims to complete the initial screening within about 7 working days.
2. Editorial screening — scope, structure, abstract, references, ethical declarations and text similarity. A similarity percentage alone never decides the outcome; context and citations are assessed.
3. Double-blind review — as a rule the manuscript is sent to at least two independent experts; authors and reviewers do not learn each other’s identity. Recommended review time is 14–21 days (a target, not a guarantee).
4. Decision — accept; accept after minor revisions; major revisions and re-review; or reject. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision.
5. Production — language and technical editing, typesetting, metadata and publication.

What reviewers assess

Relevance, novelty, clarity of aim, soundness and reproducibility of methods, reliability of results, quality of discussion, conclusions supported by evidence, and the use of literature.

Reviewer duties

• Decline the review if there is a conflict of interest or insufficient expertise;
• keep the manuscript confidential and never use it for personal purposes;
• write an objective, evidence-based and constructive report without personal criticism.