Peer Review Policy

Peer review serves to guarantee the publishing of reliable and innovative scientific findings. Every article submitted for publication in the Journal of PLUS Sport Sciences (JPSS) undergoes the peer-review process outlined below, and all publications published there are peer-reviewed.

Pre-review

The Editor and Publication Commission conducts a preliminary assessment of each paper before submitting it to the journal. The refereeing process does not begin until the manuscript has been rejected or some revisions have been requested if it does not fit the journal's guidelines for content and form. No article can now be approved for publication by the editor without a favorable referee report.

Peer Review

The names of the referees and writers are recorded at each stage of the procedure under the double-blind refereeing technique used by JPSS.

After passing the preliminary review stage, manuscripts are sent to two referees chosen by the editor and/or editorial board. Referees are chosen from the referee pool after considering their specialties.

The referees review the articles that have been submitted; they assess them based on their originality, methodology, contribution to the literature, presentation of the findings and evidence supporting the conclusions, and reliance on prior research. Referees have the option of accepting, rejecting, or requesting that the authors change the article's format or content. An essay must have the approval of at least two referees before it may be published. A third referee is assigned to the article if one referee rejects the entering article and the other approves it subject to significant amendment. The opinions, suggestions, and corrections of the three referees are compiled and sent to the author if the third referee accepts the article subject to major change. According to the recommendations of three referees, the author is urged to edit his article.

If the referee or referees ask for adjustments, the author(s) must make the necessary changes, taking into consideration the referees' criticisms and suggestions, and submit them to the publication commission no later than 30 days after receiving the request. Rejected articles are sent back to the author along with a rationale for the decision.

Last Review

For all articles that are in the publishing process and have received favorable referee reviews, the Publication Commission conducts the final evaluation. The Publication Commission places articles in the publication order that it finds "fit for publication."

Final Decision

Once an article is accepted for publication, it is forwarded to the Head Editor for final approval. The Head Editor in conjunction with the corresponding author, will make the necessary corrections to allow the article to be published. The final revision of the article is sent to the lead author as an email attachment. If the lead author wishes to make minor changes to the final manuscript, these should be submitted electronically to the Head Editor within one week. The Head Editor has the final and authoritative say in all matters such as publication/correction/non-publication of the article.

About Special Issue

JPSS fully implements all the processes described above in its special issues. Special issues are never operated separately from the editorial policy.

NOTE: What to do in case the author in the Editorial Board submits an article:

1. The article will be evaluated regardless of the researcher's position.
2. All authorizations of the researcher for that issue are suspended and access to the journal's interface is blocked.
3. The researcher is not authorized to suggest referees.
4. The researcher's article will be continued in accordance with all publication policies during the peer review process.

Peer Review Process

JPSS: It aims to complete the total refereeing process of an article within 16 weeks (120 days), with the preliminary evaluation phase taking 4 weeks, the referee evaluation phase taking 8 weeks, and the final evaluation phase taking 4 weeks. The author(s) who submit an article to the JPSS are deemed to have accepted the journal's referee evaluation conditions and process.

Update: 10.25.2024