Submission, screening, and triage

• Every new manuscript submitted to PJHS will be immediately checked by editorial office for an initial inspection to ensure the completion of submitted files as per journal requirements and adequacy of documentation including author’s undertaking, ethics approval and article-processing fee.
• Manuscripts not submitted according to PJHS instructions for authors, will be returned to the author for correction prior to the initiation of further processing.
• After initial scrutiny, manuscripts will be triaged by any editor/member editorial board. During this initial (internal) review, the editor will check the manuscript for originality, significance and suitability of manuscript as per scope and format of the journal.
• At this point, the editor may reject the manuscript if deemed unsuitable for the journal, the quality of the manuscript is poor, the subject matter is outside the scope of the journal or criteria for the submission of manuscripts are not met.
• All manuscripts are subject to a similarity check using the Turnitin service. As per HEC policy, articles exceeding the limit of similarity are returned for clarification and/or correction.
• Editor may send the manuscripts back to authors for revision/correction as pointed out during editorial review
• Revised manuscripts are judged on the adequacy of responses to suggestions and criticisms made during the initial review. If editor is satisfied with the changes made by authors, he will initiate the External peer review of the manuscript.
• The manuscript will be sent to the subject experts for External peer review.

  Peer Review

  • The manuscript with publication potential will be sent to TWO subject experts for peer review, Peer reviewer will evaluate the suitability of the article for publication based on its quality, novelty, and relevance for publication.
  • A period of minimum 4 weeks will be given for a reviewer to go through a manuscript and send his suggestions to the editor. Failing which will generate a reminder from the editor with additional 4 weeks’ time for review to be completed.
  • If a reviewer is unable to meet the period agreed upon or he declines to review the manuscript, the manuscript will be sent to another reviewer.
  • The editor may establish a system for rapid review of especially important manuscripts. This may include review only by editors or asking reviewers to complete their evaluations within a shorter period of time than is allowed routinely. Authors who seek rapid review should explain why their manuscripts merit such review.

  Final decision

  • Reviewers are advisors to authors and editors. The editor may ask reviewers to make recommendations regarding acceptance, revision or rejection of manuscripts.
  • Editor will pay attention to the recommendations of the reviewers, but the final decision will be taken by editor.
  • Manuscript suggested revision would be sent back to authors for revision.
  • Authors will be requested to do relevant corrections in the manuscript as suggested by the reviewers and resubmit within two weeks.
  • Authors will be asked to send a detailed covering letter addressing the issues pointed out by the reviewers with a point by point answer describing the corrections done/ reasons for not doing so.
  • If reviewers and editors are satisfied with the changes, the manuscript will be accepted and will be assigned to the future issue for publication.
  • The editor/copy editor reserves the right to edit the accepted article as per format of the journal.