Peer Review Process

Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts are first reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or the designated scientific editor for the following:

• Alignment with the aims and scope of the journal
• Originality and innovation
• Scientific and methodological quality
• Compliance with research ethics considerations
• Completeness of files and information
• Similarity to published works
• Quality of the Persian and English title and abstract

Manuscripts that do not meet the basic requirements of the journal may be rejected without being sent for external peer review.

Expert Peer Review

Eligible manuscripts are normally sent to at least two expert and independent reviewers.

The journal uses a double-blind peer review system; the identities of the authors are not disclosed to the reviewers, nor are the identities of the reviewers disclosed to the authors.

Reviewers are selected on the basis of scientific expertise, methodological competence, research record, absence of conflicts of interest, and the ability to conduct an accurate and timely review.

Confidentiality

The manuscript, supplementary information, correspondence, and review reports are confidential.

Reviewers and editorial members must not share the confidential content of the manuscript with others or upload it to public and unapproved AI systems.

Editorial Decision

Decisions include:

• Accept
• Minor revisions
• Major revisions
• Reject

Reviewers’ opinions are used for editorial decision-making, but the final decision is not made solely on the basis of reviewers’ numerical votes.