Editorial Process

Overview

GSMS Publications is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly publishing through a rigorous, transparent, and fair editorial process. All submitted manuscripts undergo thorough evaluation — from initial screening to peer review — before a final editorial decision is made.

Our journals use a single-blind peer review model, where the identities of reviewers are kept confidential from the authors, but reviewers have access to the authors' identities. This approach ensures accountability in authorship while protecting reviewer independence, allowing manuscripts to be evaluated on their scientific merit, originality, and relevance.

Process Overview

GSMS Publications Editorial Process Flowchart

Typical timeline: 6–10 weeks from submission to first decision

1. Submission

How to Submit

Authors submit their manuscripts through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. During submission, authors are required to:

Register or log in to the journal's website
Confirm compliance with submission requirements and the COPE guidelines
Upload the manuscript file (formatted according to the journal's Author Guidelines)
Provide metadata: title, abstract, keywords, author details, and ORCID iDs
Include any supplementary files (datasets, figures, appendices)
Submit a cover letter (recommended)

Authors may suggest preferred reviewers and indicate any reviewers they wish to exclude due to competing interests. The editorial team considers these suggestions but is not obligated to follow them.

2. Pre-Screening

Technical Check

Upon submission, the editorial office performs an initial technical check within 3–5 working days to verify:

Formatting compliance — manuscript structure, reference style, and figure quality meet journal guidelines
Completeness — all required sections, declarations, and metadata are present
Plagiarism screening — the manuscript is checked using plagiarism detection software to ensure originality
Scope — the topic falls within the journal's aims and scope
Language quality — the manuscript is written in clear, readable English

Manuscripts that do not meet technical requirements may be returned to the author for correction or rejected outright (desk rejection). Authors whose manuscripts are returned are encouraged to revise and resubmit.

Editorial Pre-Check

Manuscripts that pass the technical check may be assigned to a Section Editor or Handling Editor for an additional evaluation of whether the manuscript:

Presents sufficient novelty and scientific contribution
Is methodologically sound at a preliminary level
Warrants sending to external peer reviewers

The editor may reject the manuscript at this stage if it clearly falls outside scope, lacks originality, or has fundamental methodological issues.

3. Peer Review

Single-Blind Review

GSMS Publications uses a single-blind peer review process for all journals. This means:

Authors do not know the identity of the reviewers
Reviewers know the identity and affiliation of the authors

This model allows reviewers to assess the work in full context — including the authors' expertise and institutional resources — while maintaining reviewer anonymity to ensure honest and independent evaluation.

Reviewer Selection

The handling editor selects a minimum of two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers are selected based on:

Subject expertise and publication record
Absence of competing interests with the authors
Availability and past review quality

Reviewer Evaluation

Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript on the following criteria:

Originality — Does the work present new findings or insights?
Scientific rigor — Are the methods appropriate and the analysis sound?
Significance — Does the work contribute meaningfully to the field?
Clarity — Is the manuscript well-written, well-organized, and clearly presented?
Data and reproducibility — Are data, methods, and materials sufficiently described for reproducibility?
References — Is the relevant literature adequately cited?
Ethical compliance — Does the study meet ethical standards where applicable?

Reviewers provide a recommendation (accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject) along with detailed comments for the authors and confidential remarks for the editor.

Review Timeline

Reviewers are given 14–21 days to complete their review. If a reviewer is unable to respond within this period, the editor may send reminders or invite alternative reviewers to avoid delays.

4. Editorial Decision

Decision Types

After receiving peer review reports, the handling editor makes one of the following decisions:

Decision	Description
Accept	The manuscript is accepted for publication as submitted or with only minor editorial corrections.
Minor Revision	The manuscript requires small changes (clarifications, minor additions). Revised version is typically reviewed by the editor only.
Major Revision	Significant changes are needed (additional experiments, reanalysis, restructuring). The revised manuscript is usually sent back to the original reviewers.
Reject	The manuscript does not meet the journal's standards and cannot be improved sufficiently through revision.

Revision Process

Authors who receive a revision decision are expected to:

Submit the revised manuscript within 14 days (minor revision) or 30 days (major revision)
Provide a point-by-point response to all reviewer and editor comments
Clearly highlight all changes made in the revised manuscript

If authors need additional time, they may request an extension by contacting the editorial office. Failure to submit a revision within the deadline may result in the manuscript being treated as a new submission.

Appeals

Authors who disagree with a rejection decision may submit a formal appeal to the Editor-in-Chief. Appeals must include:

A detailed, point-by-point rebuttal addressing each reviewer's concern
New evidence or data supporting the manuscript's validity, if applicable

The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal and may seek additional opinions. The decision on the appeal is final.

5. Production

After Acceptance

Once a manuscript is accepted, it enters the production phase, which includes:

Copy editing — grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style consistency are corrected
Language editing — clarity and readability are improved where needed
Layout and typesetting — the manuscript is formatted into the journal's publication template (PDF and HTML)
Proofreading — authors receive galley proofs and have 5 working days to review and approve or request corrections
Metadata preparation — DOI registration via Crossref, ORCID linking, and indexing metadata

Authors are expected to respond promptly during the proofing stage. Only corrections to typographical errors and factual mistakes are accepted at this point — no significant content changes.

6. Publication

Online Publication

Accepted articles are published online as soon as the production process is complete. Each article receives:

A unique DOI (Digital Object Identifier) registered with Crossref
Full-text availability in PDF and HTML formats
Immediate open access under the CC-BY 4.0 license
Indexing in Google Scholar, Dimensions, and other academic databases

Articles are assigned to an issue and volume. Published articles are permanent and cannot be removed except in cases of serious ethical violations, in which case a formal retraction notice will be issued following COPE retraction guidelines.

Publication Ethics

Ethical Standards

GSMS Publications follows the guidelines and best practices set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We expect all parties — authors, reviewers, and editors — to adhere to the highest ethical standards.

For Authors

All submitted work must be original and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere
All contributing authors must be listed, and all listed authors must have made a substantial contribution
Authors must disclose all funding sources and competing interests
Any use of AI-assisted tools in the research or writing process must be disclosed
Proper attribution and citation of all referenced work is required
Data fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism are strictly prohibited

For Reviewers

Reviews must be conducted objectively and constructively
Reviewers must declare any competing interests and recuse themselves if necessary
Manuscript content must be treated as confidential material
Reviewers must not use unpublished data or ideas from manuscripts they review

For Editors

Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit, not the authors' identity, affiliation, gender, or nationality
Editors must manage competing interests transparently and recuse themselves when appropriate
Editors ensure the confidentiality of the review process

Plagiarism & Misconduct

All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using detection software. If misconduct is suspected or confirmed at any stage — before or after publication — GSMS Publications will follow COPE flowcharts to investigate and take appropriate action, which may include:

Rejection of the manuscript
Retraction of the published article
Notification to the author's institution
A ban on future submissions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the review process take?

The typical time from submission to first decision is 6–10 weeks. This includes pre-screening (3–5 days), peer review (14–21 days), and editorial decision. Actual timelines may vary depending on reviewer availability and the complexity of the manuscript.

Can I track my submission status?

Yes. Authors can log in to the OJS platform at any time to check the current status of their manuscript.

What if reviewers disagree?

If reviewers provide conflicting recommendations, the editor may invite an additional reviewer or make a decision based on the overall quality and strength of the reviews.

Can I suggest or exclude reviewers?

Yes. Authors may suggest up to three preferred reviewers and exclude up to two. The editorial team considers these suggestions but makes the final selection independently.

I have more questions

Please contact us at publications@greensus.org — we are happy to assist.