Publication Process

The publication process begins with a manuscript submission to a journal by an author. A manuscript goes through several stages before actual publication (Jefferson et al. 2007).

1. The first stage of the process is an editorial review that aims to assess the quality and merits of a manuscript. The editor (often the editor‐in‐chief) of the journal concerned reviews the manuscript to determine its relevance to the journal and suitability to undergo peer review.
2. Further checks take place at the editorial desk by an editorial assistant, including checks for similarity to other sources using a similarity detection package such as iThenticate^®.
3. If the manuscript is too similar to other sources, it may be rejected or it may be unsubmitted and returned to the author for amendment. Additional checks for readability and the extent to which the manuscript conforms to the standards of the journal, for example, word‐length and use of international reporting standards take place.This is done by a managing editor and, again, the manuscript may be rejected or returned to the author for amendment.
4. Once satisfied, the managing editor assigns an editor, identifies, and assigns 2‐3 reviewers with appropriate knowledge, skills, methodological expertise and experience to assess the manuscript and feedback on its quality, rigour and publishability.
5. Peer reviewers' feedback helps the editor to decide if the manuscript is rejected, accepted or needs revision before it can be accepted for publication. Whatever the case, the decision is communicated to the author. When a revision is required, the reviewers suggest changes or ask for more details from the authors before accepting the manuscript for publication.
6. Once the manuscript is accepted, it moves to the third stage, which is called production and ensures the production of a readable and comprehensible article free of spelling mistakes, and presented in the uniform style of a particular journal (Jefferson et al. 2007). The author is also expected to check and approve the final proof before the final stage which is an administrative process, to ensure the allocation of appropriate tracking number, called Digital Object Identifier (DOI), to the article and regular production of a journal (Jefferson et al. 2007).
7. The peer review process is important to understand, not only for potential authors, but also for those involved in the process, as it is often an individual/solitary exercise.The entire process may take time about 24 weeks.