Editorial process
Basrah Arts Journal (BAJ) is committed to achieving the highest levels of quality and transparency in the peer-review process. To accomplish this goal, a double-blind peer review system is employed, which is considered one of the foundations of scientific quality and rigor in the journal.
Steps of the Review Process:
- Submission of Research: Researchers are required to submit their manuscripts through a dedicated electronic submission system on Basrah Arts Journal website.
- Upon receiving the research on the platform of the (BAJ), the editorial board will conduct an initial assessment to verify that the research meets the applicable standards and aligns with the journal's theme.
- Similarity Check: Tools such as Turnitin are used to examine manuscripts and ensure there is no unacceptable similarity or scientific misconduct before the review process begins.
- Appointment of Reviewers: The Editorial Manager appoints three external scientific reviewers based on their expertise and academic reputation, in consultation with the editorial board members.
- Double-Blind Review: The review is conducted in a double-blind and anonymized manner, where the identities of both authors and reviewers are unknown to each other to prevent bias in the process.
- Author Notification: An electronic notification is sent to the authors informing them of the initial decision by the editorial board based on reviewers' comments. If accepted, authors may be required to make certain modifications.
- Submission of Revised Manuscript: Authors are required to submit a revised version after making the necessary modifications suggested by the reviewers.
- Verification: Reviewers, with the assistance of an editorial board member, verify the researchers' compliance with the reviewers' comments.
- Final Decision: An electronic notification is sent to the authors indicating the acceptance or rejection of their manuscripts after the scientific verification process is completed.
Standards for evaluators (peer review)
1- Articles will be evaluated using a double blind peer review by accredited specialists. Anonymity is assured.
2- Before starting the blind peer review process, the editorial board will make a first evaluation to check the article meets the required standards by the journal.
3- Articles overcoming the first review will be evaluated in two ways: the first one-internal (member of the editorial board), the other one-external. In case of discrepancy between the two processes, a third evaluation will be required.
4- Evaluators will apply the evaluation criteria established by BAJ with complete independence and freedom. If there could be a conflict of interest in assessing an article, the reviewer must notify FBJ, declining to perform the requested evaluation.
5- In order to review the articles, the evaluators will use the template available in English.
6- Evaluators will have five options for the article global assessment (in all cases the decision should be justified in the commentaries section):
- Acceptable.
- Acceptable pending minor revision.
- Acceptable pending deep revision.
- Unacceptable but can be recommended to other journal.
- Unacceptable.
7- To avoid plagiarism conflicts, the evaluators should use the anti-plagiarism application (Turnitin), (Grammarly), and also the (Google and Google Scholar seekers).
8- Evaluators will send the evaluation report (filling in the template) to the BAJ OJS platform no later than 20 days after the reception of the template.
9- For further information please contact basrah.finearts.journal@uobasrah.edu.iq
