Peer Review Process

STEPX (Sustainable Technology, Energy, and Policy Exchange) applies a rigorous single-blind peer review system to ensure the academic quality, integrity, and relevance of all published manuscripts. This process follows Scopus indexing standards and COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

1. Reviewer Selection

  • Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise, research experience, and prior contributions in the field.
  • The editorial team ensures that reviewers have no conflict of interest with the authors or the submitted work.
  • Each manuscript is typically assigned to two independent reviewers; in some cases, a third reviewer may be invited.

2. Review Process

  • In the single-blind system, reviewers are aware of the authors’ identity, but authors do not know the identity of reviewers.
  • Reviewers evaluate manuscripts for:
    • Originality and novelty
    • Methodological rigor and accuracy
    • Clarity and organization of the manuscript
    • Relevance to the journal’s scope
    • Contribution to theory, practice, or policy in sustainable technology, energy, and public policy
  • Reviewers submit a detailed report with constructive feedback and a recommendation:
    • Accept as is
    • Minor revision
    • Major revision
    • Reject

3. Editorial Decision

  • The Editor-in-Chief (or delegated Section Editor) makes the final decision based on the reviewers’ reports, overall contribution, and adherence to ethical standards.
  • If reviewers’ recommendations diverge, the editor may seek an additional review or make an informed decision.

4. Revision Process

  • Authors must address all reviewer and editor comments point by point in a response letter.
  • Revised manuscripts may undergo further review if substantial changes are required.
  • Failure to address reviewer comments adequately may result in rejection.

5. Review Timelines

  • Initial editorial screening: 1–2 weeks
  • Peer review: 4–6 weeks (per review round)
  • Revision and resubmission: timeframe depends on the extent of required changes, usually 2–6 weeks
  • Average time from submission to first decision: 6–8 weeks

6. Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Provide fair, objective, and timely evaluations.
  • Maintain confidentiality of all manuscripts and not use unpublished content for personal advantage.
  • Declare any potential conflict of interest.
  • Report any suspected ethical concerns such as plagiarism, duplicate submission, or data fabrication.

7. Transparency and Integrity

  • The journal follows COPE flowcharts to handle cases of suspected misconduct.
  • All decisions are communicated transparently to authors, with reviewers’ comments anonymized.
  • The final decision rests with the editorial board and cannot be influenced by external parties.