Peer Review Process

Peer Review Process Components:

  1. Submission and Initial Screening:

    • Investigate the criteria and methods employed during the initial submission phase.
    • Assess the effectiveness of screening processes in aligning submissions with the journal's scope and standards.

  2. Reviewer Selection and Assignment:

    • Analyze the criteria for selecting reviewers, considering expertise, independence, and diversity.
    • Evaluate the methods used for assigning submissions to reviewers, ensuring a fair and unbiased distribution.

  3. Review Quality and Constructiveness:

    • Examine the quality and constructiveness of feedback provided by reviewers.
    • Explore the use of standardized evaluation criteria to ensure consistency in the review process.

  4. Timeliness and Efficiency:

    • Evaluate the efficiency of the peer review timeline from submission to decision.
    • Identify bottlenecks and propose strategies to streamline the review process without compromising quality.

  5. Ethical Considerations:

    • Investigate ethical challenges in the peer review process, such as conflicts of interest and confidentiality breaches.
    • Propose guidelines and mechanisms to address and prevent ethical issues.

  6. Feedback and Communication:

    • Assess the effectiveness of communication between authors, reviewers, and editors.
    • Explore ways to enhance the feedback loop and ensure clear, constructive communication throughout the review process.

  7. Editorial Decision-making:

    • Examine the decision-making criteria employed by editors after the peer review process.
    • Evaluate the transparency and consistency of editorial decisions.

  8. Post-Publication Review and Feedback:

    • Investigate the feasibility and benefits of post-publication review mechanisms.
    • Explore ways to incorporate ongoing feedback and updates to published articles.

Methodology: Utilize a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys, interviews, and case studies. Gather data from authors, reviewers, and journal editors to obtain diverse perspectives on the peer review process.

Expected Outcomes: The research aims to propose evidence-based recommendations for optimizing the peer review process in accounting and auditing journals. These recommendations will be valuable for journal editors, reviewers, and authors, fostering a more efficient and transparent scholarly communication ecosystem within the accounting and auditing research community.