Publication Process

1. Preliminary Evaluation Process

Manuscripts submitted to the International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research (IJCER) are first recorded in the journal’s submission system. The journal secretary verifies whether all required files have been properly uploaded, whether file names are appropriate, and whether the similarity report has been included.

If any files are missing, or if the similarity index exceeds 20% overall or 5% from a single source, the manuscript is returned to the author for necessary corrections. During this stage, the manuscript status appears as “With Secretary.”

The maximum period for the secretary’s review is 10 days. Authors are given 7 days to respond to correction requests and 15 days to resubmit their revised manuscripts. If there is no response within the specified time, an additional 7 days may be granted.

If all files are complete and the similarity report is within acceptable limits, the manuscript is forwarded to the editor, and its status changes to “With Editor.” The editor evaluates the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s scope, its scientific quality, and originality. Manuscripts meeting the journal’s preliminary requirements are moved to the “Review” stage. Otherwise, the editor may reject the submission without peer review. When necessary, the editor may assign a section editor to conduct these evaluations.

The maximum time allowed for the editor to assume responsibility for a manuscript is 15 days, and the processing period is also limited to 15 days.

 

2. Review Process (Peer Review)

The editor or section editor assigns the manuscript to at least two reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers have 10 days to respond to the review invitation (to accept or decline). During this stage, the manuscript status appears as “Under Review.”

Once the invitation is accepted, reviewers have 15 days to complete their evaluations; if needed, an additional 7 days may be granted.

Double-Blind Review Policy

IJCER follows a double-blind peer review system, in which authors do not know the identities of reviewers, and reviewers do not know the identities of authors.

Authors must remove all identifying information (e.g., file names, author details, institution names, metadata, or headers/footers) from their manuscripts. Self-citations should also be written in a way that does not reveal authorship.

This policy ensures objectivity, fairness, and the minimization of bias related to authors’ demographic or institutional background.

When sufficient reviewer reports are received, the manuscript status changes to “Decision Pending.” The editor evaluates the reports and makes a decision within 15 days.

Based on reviewers’ recommendations, the manuscript may be accepted, rejected, or sent back to the author for revision. Authors are given 7 days to respond to revision requests and 15 days to submit the revised version. After successful revision and editor approval, the manuscript proceeds to the publication preparation stage.

 

3. Publication Preparation Process

Accepted manuscripts are prepared for publication in the relevant issue. During this stage, the manuscript status is shown as “In Production.”

The publication process involves the publishing editor, layout editor, and final proofreader. The layout editor is responsible for formatting, arranging tables and figures, organizing references, and ensuring the inclusion of publication details such as page numbers and publisher information.

Once layout editing is completed, the manuscript is sent to the author for final proofreading to correct potential linguistic or typographical errors. After the author’s confirmation, the final version is reviewed by the publication editor and prepared for online release.

Any post-publication corrections may be made within 7 days after the issue’s release. Timeframes in the publication process may vary depending on editorial workload.

For any inquiries regarding the process, authors are encouraged to contact the IJCER Editorial Office.