Editorial Workflow

Editorial Workflow

Every manuscript submitted to IJCIE passes through the following stages. Authors can track the current stage at any time from their author dashboard after logging in.

Stage 1 – Submission

The corresponding author submits through the online system, uploading the manuscript in the IJCIE template together with any supplementary files, and confirms the submission checklist, the declaration of originality and the conflict of interest statement. All contributors are entered with their affiliations, e-mail addresses and, where available, ORCID identifiers.

Stage 2 – Editorial and technical screening (3–7 days)

The editorial office checks scope, completeness, formatting, English readability, the presence of required declarations and ethical approvals, and runs a similarity check using Turnitin together with AI-content screening. Manuscripts that fall outside scope, breach the Plagiarism Policy or are unsuitable for review are desk-rejected at this stage with a brief reason.

Stage 3 – Assignment to a handling editor

A handling editor with expertise in the subject area is assigned. The handling editor confirms that no conflict of interest exists, reads the manuscript and either desk-rejects it or sends it for external review.

Stage 4 – Double-anonymised peer review (about 4 weeks per round)

At least two independent reviewers assess the manuscript. Author and reviewer identities are withheld from each other. Reviewers report on originality, technical correctness, experimental design, adequacy of comparison and baselines, reproducibility, clarity, referencing and ethical compliance, and give a recommendation.

Stage 5 – First decision

The handling editor weighs the reports, resolves conflicting recommendations by seeking an additional review where necessary, and issues a decision. Authors receive the decision letter with the full, anonymised reviewer comments.

Stage 6 – Revision

Authors submit a revised manuscript together with a point-by-point response to every comment, indicating where each change was made. Major revisions are normally returned to the original reviewers; minor revisions are usually verified by the handling editor.

Stage 7 – Final decision and acceptance

When the handling editor is satisfied that all substantive points have been addressed, the manuscript is accepted. The acceptance date is recorded and published with the article.

Stage 8 – Copy-editing, APC and proof

The accepted manuscript is copy-edited and typeset. The article processing charge is invoiced at this point; see Revenue Sources and APC. The corresponding author receives a proof and must approve it or return corrections; only errors introduced in production, or factual corrections, are accepted at proof stage.

Stage 9 – Publication

The article is published in the current issue, the DOI is registered and resolves to the article landing page, metadata is exposed for harvesting, and the content is deposited with the preservation services. Authors are notified and may immediately deposit the published version in any repository, in line with the Repository and Self-Archiving Policy.

Stage 10 – Post-publication

Comments, corrections and allegations concerning a published article are handled under the Article Correction, Retraction and Misconduct Policy. The published version of record is never silently altered.