Manuscript Submission Workflow for J-HyTEL

1. Manuscript Submission:
   Authors are required to submit their manuscripts through the journal's online submission system. For detailed instructions and formatting guidelines, download the template here.

2. Receipt and Initial Verification:
   Upon submission, the journal manager and editor acknowledge receipt of the manuscript and verify that all required documents are complete. A confirmation email is sent to the authors, including details about the review timeline.

3. Initial Screening:
   The editor performs an initial screening to confirm that the manuscript fits the journal’s aim and scope. A plagiarism check is conducted using Turnitin to ensure a maximum similarity score of 20%. The manuscript is also assessed for novelty, contribution to the field, and basic language quality.
   
   Immediate Rejection Criteria:

   Manuscripts may be rejected at this stage if they:

   • Show a similarity score above 20% (plagiarism).
   • Do not align with the journal’s scope.
   • Have insufficient English language quality.
   • Contain previously published data (duplicate publication).
   • Are simultaneously submitted to another journal (multiple submissions).

4. Peer Review Process:
   Manuscripts passing the initial screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers provide in-depth comments, assessing the manuscript’s scientific merit, originality, clarity, and contribution to the field.

5. Peer Review Process:
   Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise relevant to the manuscript's subject matter. Reviewers provide detailed comments assessing the manuscript’s scientific merit, originality, clarity, and contribution to the field.

   • Invitation: Reviewers are given 1 week to accept or decline the invitation.
   • Review Completion: Accepted reviews must be submitted within 2-3 weeks.

   If reviewers provide conflicting feedback, the editor may:

   • Seek input from a third reviewer.
   • Discuss the manuscript with the Editor-in-Chief to ensure a fair and balanced decision.

6. Reviewer Rejection Criteria:
   Reviewers may recommend rejection if the manuscript:

   • Lacks clear motivation or purpose.
   • Makes an insufficient contribution to the existing literature.
   • It is poorly written or disorganized.
   • Contains uninteresting or irrelevant findings.
   • It has conclusions not supported by the data.

7. Reviewer Feedback:
   Reviewers provide detailed feedback, including suggestions for improvement, which the editor synthesizes and forwards to the author. Authors receive a summary of the reviewers’ comments and a decision letter outlining the next steps.

8. Editorial Decision:
   Based on reviewer feedback, the editor makes one of the following decisions:

   • Accept Submission
   • Revisions Required
   • Resubmit for Review
   • Resubmit Elsewhere
   • Decline Submission
   • See Comments

9. Revisions:
   Authors revise their manuscript based on the editor’s and reviewers’ comments.
   Authors must submit:

   • A revised manuscript.
   • A response letter detailing how each comment was addressed. 

10. Final Quality Check:
    After revising the manuscript, the editor reviews the changes to ensure that all feedback has been adequately addressed. If the revisions are unsatisfactory, the manuscript may be returned for further revisions or rejected at this stage.

11. Acceptance:
    If the manuscript meets all quality standards, it is formally accepted for publication, and the author is notified of the next steps.

12. Copyediting:
    A professional copy editor reviews the accepted manuscript for grammar, formatting, style, and consistency. This process ensures that the manuscript adheres to the journal’s publication standards and is ready for final publication.

13. Final Approval:
    The Editor-in-Chief and Journal Manager conduct a final review to ensure the manuscript is ready for publication. This review checks for consistency, completeness, and adherence to the journal’s formatting guidelines. Authors may receive a pre-publication proof to verify final edits before publication.

14. Production and Publication:
    The manuscript is formatted, typeset, and prepared for online publication. Upon completion, the manuscript is published online with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) through CrossRef, making it accessible to readers worldwide with full open-access privileges. The journal employs PKP PN, LOCKSS, and other archiving methods to ensure the long-term preservation and availability of published research.

This process ensures that every manuscript undergoes rigorous peer review and adheres to high academic standards, providing quality, originality, and relevance in the research published by J-HyTEL.