Peer Review Process

Procedure and criteria of review

Only previously unpublished papers will be accepted. The study paper must describe new research results and not simply discuss already published data (the exception are review papers).

The first step of the review process consists of the editor-in-chief or another member of the editorial team issuing an opinion to a preliminary decision to either accept the paper for further review or reject the paper. The author will be informed of the decision as soon as possible. In certain situations, this decision will be made following consultation with a member of the editorial council specializing in a given area of research.

The next step of the review process involves the choose of at least two independent reviewers not associated with the author’s parent institution. Reviews are conducted using a double-blind review process. This process is based on the rule that the author does not know the identity of the reviewer and vice versa. Each review is issued in written form and ends with an unambiguous recommendation to publish the paper without changes, publish only if certain changes are made or not publish.

Paper is accepted for publication without changes only in case at least 9 out of 16 criteria were evaluated positive and no criterion was evaluated negative. Paper is not eligible for publication which is obligatory in case at least 9 out of 16 criteria were evaluated negative. In other cases the reviewer qualify article to a correction.

In addition to the recommendations made by reviewers, the author may receive additional suggestions from the editor-in-chief (editors reserve the right to make shortcuts or minor corrections), another editor appointed by the editor-in-chief, for example: editor of subject volume  or statistics editor, if the paper contains statistics. Every paper due to be printed is also reviewed by a language editor.