Peer Review Process

 

Journal of Rafidain Environment (JRE) follows a confidential double-blind peer-reviewing procedure to ensure the quality of the publication.

JRE uses Turnitin software to check for similarities in the submitted manuscripts before sending them to reviewers. The median time from submission to first decision is 7 days. The corresponding author will be notified within 1 to 2 months regarding the reviewers’ decisions.

The following steps illustrate in detail the procedure for reviewing:

  • Submission of Manuscript: The corresponding author submits the manuscript to JRE via (https://ojs.uomosul.edu.iq/index.php/jre/Home).
  • Structural Assessment: The Editorial Manager checks the structure of the submitted manuscript to ensure that the authors followed JRE’s guidelines.
  • Editor-in-Chief Assessment and Processing: The Editor-in-Chief verifies whether the manuscript’s topic aligns with the journal’s aims and scope. If not, the manuscript will be rejected and the corresponding author will be notified.
  • Plagiarism Check: Turnitin software is used to detect plagiarism. If the similarity index is below 20% and AI-generated content is also below 20%, the manuscript proceeds to review. Otherwise, it will be rejected.
  • Invitation to Reviewers: The Editor-in-Chief sends confidential invitations to reviewers with expertise in the manuscript’s subject.
  • Response to Invitations: Reviewers assess the invitation based on their expertise, potential conflicts of interest, and availability, then accept or decline.
  • Review Process: Reviewers read the manuscript multiple times. An initial read forms a general impression. If major issues are found, the reviewer may recommend rejection. Otherwise, a detailed point-by-point review is prepared, including a recommendation to accept, reject, or request revisions (major or minor).
  • Evaluation of Reviews: The Editor-in-Chief considers all reviewer feedback before making a final decision. If opinions vary significantly, an additional reviewer may be invited.
  • Primary Decision: The Editor-in-Chief sends a decision email to the author, including anonymized reviewer comments.
  • Revised Manuscript Submission: The author revises the manuscript based on reviewer feedback and highlights changes in red or yellow shading.
  • Final Decision: Upon acceptance, the author pays the publication fee. The article is then sent to the page designer and subsequently to the publisher.