Publication Process

STEPX (Sustainable Technology, Energy, and Policy Exchange) follows a transparent and rigorous publication process in line with Scopus indexing requirements and COPE Core Practices to ensure quality, integrity, and global relevance.

1. Submission

  • Manuscripts must be submitted through the journal’s online submission system.
  • Authors must certify that the manuscript is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under review by another journal.
  • Submissions must follow the author guidelines in terms of format, references, and ethical standards.

2. Initial Screening

  • The editorial office checks all manuscripts for relevance to the journal scope, structure, and compliance with author guidelines.
  • All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using iThenticate/Turnitin. The maximum acceptable similarity index is 20% (excluding references).
  • Manuscripts failing to meet minimum requirements are returned to the authors or rejected.

3. Peer Review (Single-Blind)

  • The journal uses a single-blind peer review process, where reviewers are aware of the authors’ identity but authors do not know the reviewers’ identity.
  • Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers selected based on subject expertise and absence of conflicts of interest.
  • Reviewers assess manuscripts for originality, methodological rigor, clarity, ethical soundness, and relevance to the journal scope.
  • Review outcomes may be:
    • Accept
    • Minor Revision
    • Major Revision
    • Reject

4. Editorial Decision

  • The Editor-in-Chief (or Section Editor) makes the final decision based on reviewer reports and overall contribution of the manuscript.
  • Detailed feedback is provided to authors to support revisions or future research improvement.

5. Revision and Resubmission

  • Authors are required to address all reviewer and editor comments systematically in a response letter.
  • Revised manuscripts must be submitted within the specified timeframe.
  • For major revisions, manuscripts may undergo a second round of review.

6. Copyediting and Proofreading

  • Accepted manuscripts are sent for professional copyediting and language polishing to ensure clarity and consistency.
  • Authors receive galley proofs for final review and approval prior to online publication.

7. Publication

  • Articles are published online-first with DOI (Digital Object Identifier) once proof corrections are completed.
  • Final articles are assigned to an issue of the journal, fully open access, and available to readers worldwide without charge.
  • All content is archived to ensure long-term accessibility and indexed in relevant databases.

8. Post-Publication Policies

  • The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record.
  • Corrections, retractions, or editorial notices will be issued following COPE Retraction Guidelines when ethical or factual issues arise.
  • Authors are encouraged to disseminate their work to maximize visibility and scholarly impact.