Submission Process

 

Submission process (or peer review process)

 

When authors submit a manuscript to JMJ, the administrative staff examines its format and adherence to instructions of preparation of manuscripts (see preparation of manuscripts).  If the manuscript does not adhere to journal requirements, it will be returned to the authors to re-format it. 

Otherwise, the manuscript proceeds to the editor who examines the scientific suitability of the study to the journal and selects appropriate reviewers based on their scientific backgrounds.   Authors are free to suggest reviewers in their cover letter.  When suggesting names of reviewers, they must not be affiliated with the same institution(s) as the authors and have not been co-authors with any member of the submitting team during the past five years.  The authors may also indicate names of potential reviewers whom authors feel would not provide a fair or constructive critique for their study. 

Once reviewers receive the manuscripts, they have a specified time to send their comments.  The editor expects reviewers to send their evaluation in a duly time.  Reviewers send their evaluation with their recommendation to either accept the manuscript as is, accept it with minor modifications, accept it with major modifications, or reject it.  The study assessment is expected to provide authors with a fair, constructive, and useful evaluation that assists authors in presenting their manuscript better. 

It is important to mention that JMJ follows a double-blind review process whereby neither the reviewers nor the authors would know their identities.  Authors are encouraged to hide any indication of their identity in the submitted manuscripts.  Authors must submit two versions of the manuscript, a version where identifiers are masked including the first page of the manuscript that should have no names or affiliations, and another version with identifiers. 

Based on reviewers’ comments, the editor makes a decision.  If modification of the manuscript is deemed suitable, the authors are given a specified time to re-submit the manuscript.  Manuscript re-submission must be provided with a detailed response to reviewers’ comments and changes must be highlighted using the track changes mode in MS Word or by using bold or colored text. 

The editor again makes a decision based on the revisions made in the manuscript and the authors' responses to the reviewers' comments to either accept, reject, or send the manuscript for another round of review.