Kharazmi Journal of Earth Sciences

Peer Review and Publication Process

The manuscript submission, peer review, and publication process in the Kharazmi Journal of Earth Sciences begins with the corresponding author preparing and submitting all required documents through the journal’s online submission system. These documents include the manuscript with authors’ names and affiliations, an anonymous version of the manuscript for double-blind peer review, the Conflict of Interest Declaration Form, and the Authors’ Contribution (CRediT) Form.

Upon successful submission, a unique manuscript identification code is assigned, and the corresponding author receives an email confirming receipt of the submission.

Initial Screening

The journal office conducts an initial screening to verify that all required documents have been submitted and that the manuscript complies with the journal’s formatting and submission requirements. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned to the authors for technical or structural corrections before editorial evaluation.

Following the preliminary check, the Editor-in-Chief evaluates the manuscript for its scientific quality, originality, relevance to the journal’s aims and scope, and overall suitability for publication. This initial editorial assessment is generally completed within one week of submission. At this stage, the manuscript may be rejected if it does not meet the journal’s scientific standards or falls outside its scope, or it may be returned to the authors for revision prior to peer review.

Double-Blind Peer Review

If the manuscript passes the editorial assessment, the anonymous version is sent for double-blind peer review. The Editor-in-Chief, Section Editor, or members of the Editorial Board assign at least three independent expert reviewers to evaluate the manuscript simultaneously. The peer-review process normally takes approximately three to four weeks.

Based on the reviewers’ reports, one of the following editorial decisions is made:

• Accepted: The manuscript is accepted for publication without requiring further revisions.
• Minor Revisions: Minor modifications are requested. The manuscript is accepted after the authors satisfactorily address the reviewers’ comments.
• Major Revisions: Substantial revisions are required. The revised manuscript may undergo one or more additional rounds of peer review before a final decision is reached.
• Rejected with Resubmission Invited: The manuscript is not accepted in its current form; however, the reviewers believe it has sufficient potential to warrant resubmission as a new manuscript after substantial revision.
• Rejected: The manuscript is considered unsuitable for publication in the journal and will receive no further consideration.

If the reviewers’ recommendations differ substantially and no clear editorial decision can be reached, the manuscript may be sent to an additional independent reviewer. The final decision is made based on the collective evaluations. Revised manuscripts are normally returned to one or more of the original reviewers for comparative assessment and final recommendation.

If the authors choose not to submit a revised manuscript within the specified period, the review process is considered terminated.

Production and Publication

Once the manuscript is finally accepted, it enters the production stage, during which the authors are required to pay the applicable acceptance and publication fees.

The production process includes the following steps:

• Copyediting: The manuscript is edited for grammar, language, consistency, formatting, and compliance with the journal’s style.
• Typesetting and Layout: The article is formatted according to the journal’s publication standards, including the arrangement of text, tables, figures, and illustrations.
• Proofreading: A proof version is prepared and carefully checked for typographical and formatting errors.
• Author Proof Approval: The corresponding author reviews the proof, submits any final minor corrections, and approves the final version for publication.
• Online Publication: The approved article is published online and made available to readers, either as an Online First article or as part of a scheduled journal issue.