Peer review process

• Following long tradition, all articles are peer reviewed and our expert referees ensure that the papers accepted for publication comply with high scientific standards.

  Peer Review Process

  • Submissions are initially assessed by the editor for suitability for the journal scope and standards.
  • Each deemed manuscript is evaluated at least by two independent reviewers from outside the author's affiliation.
  • The Journal provides a single blind peer review process: names of reviewers are not revealed to authors. Reviewers are asked to declare no conflict of interest between them and authors, by either the direct personal relationship or research collaboration in the last two years preceding the time of review. See also Conflicts of Interest Policy.
  • Reviewers are asked to do the review within four weeks.
  • The written review contains a clear proposal for the publication or rejection of the scientific article in accordance with the conditions of admission.
  • On the journal website, the eligibility criteria for the review of articles and for their acceptance or rejection are available.

  To honor our reviewers, at the end of each calendar year, we publish both in the printed version (fourth issue of each volume) and on the website a list of people who contributed to the quality of the articles published in our journal. The list includes a group of scientists who have cooperated with us as reviewers. We do not disclose the names of reviewers of specific articles.

  Conflicts of Interest Policy

  Articles are evaluated fairly and are not necessarily rejected when any competing interests are declared. 

  Regarding Editors and Reviewers

  Journal submissions are assigned to editors in an effort to minimize potential conflicts of interest. The following relationships between editors and authors are considered conflicts and are avoided:

  • current colleagues,
  • recent colleagues,
  • recent co-authors, and
  • doctoral students

  for which editor served as committee chair.

  After papers are assigned, individual editors/reviewers are required to inform the editor-in-chief of any conflicts not included in the list above. In the event that none of the editors/reviewers satisfy all of the conflict screens, co-editors/reviewers who are least conflicted are assigned to the manuscript.

  Regarding Authors

  The authors are asked to include a Declaration of Conflicting Interests (financial, academic and other kinds) at the end of their manuscript after any Acknowledgements and prior to the Funding Acknowledgement (if relevant), Notes (if relevant) and References, under the heading 'Declaration of Conflicting Interest'. If no conflict exists, authors should include information 'The Author(s) declare(s) that there are no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could influence the work reported in this paper '.