AJORET ensures the quality and integrity of published papers through a structured process, including plagiarism checks, peer review, revisions, editorial processing, and final copyediting and proofreading. Post-publication, corrections and retractions are also managed as needed. These key stages are further explained as follows:
i. Initial Assessment
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial plagiarism check. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized content are automatically rejected. Those that pass the plagiarism check are further screened for relevance and adherence to submission guidelines. If a manuscript does not meet these basic criteria, it is either returned to the corresponding author for revision or rejected.
ii. Anonymous Review
Manuscripts that successfully pass the initial stage undergo their first blind review by one member of the editorial board who has expertise in the relevant subject area. Manuscripts that do not pass the first (initial) blind review stage are sent back to their respective corresponding authors for revision and re-submission, where appropriate, or rejected. Manuscript that pass the first review, are sent, together with the AJORET Article Review Form, to one or two external and independent reviewer(s) with advanced knowledge in the field. The reviewer is given three to four weeks to conduct the review and submit the report to the editor. At both stages of the review, both the author(s) and the reviewers remain anonymous to ensure an unbiased evaluation.
iii. Review Criteria
During the blind review process, the manuscript is evaluated based on the clarity and suitability of the title, abstract, and introduction; originality and contribution to the field; theological, religious or ethical foundation; clarity and organization; methodological rigor; engagement with existing literature; adherence to referencing style; grammar and formatting quality; and overall scholarly merit, with each category rated on a scale from “Excellent” to “Below Average.”
iv. Decision Process
The editor-in-chief makes a decision on each manuscript based on the reviewers’ feedback, and the decision may fall into one of the following categories:
a. Approved (that is, accepted as it is)
b. Approved with minor corrections (that is, will be accepted after minor corrections)
c. Approved with major corrections (that is, will be accepted after major/significant/substantial corrections)
d. Resubmit (that is, should be rewritten and resubmitted for a new round of review)
e. Decline (that is, not suitable for publication and should be submitted elsewhere)
The editorial decisions are guided solely by the scholarly merits of submissions. Thus, evaluations remain independent of commercial interests, political/religious/ethnic affiliations, or other biases.
v. Revision and Editorial Processing
Papers that pass the double-blind review process are sent to the corresponding author for necessary revisions, which must be completed and returned to the editor within a specified period. The revised manuscript, with tracked changes, must be submitted along with the Author Revision Form, which provides a point-by-point explanation of the modifications made to the manuscript. Accepting a paper for publication depends on the editor's satisfaction with the revisions made by the author(s) per the reviewers’ recommendations.
vi. Final Editing and Proofreading
Once the editor-in-chief accepts a manuscript, following peer review and any required revisions, the production team begins preparing it for final publication. The process begins with copyediting checks for grammar, consistency in style and formatting, and accuracy of citations. A copy of the copyedited manuscript is sent to the corresponding author to address any issues raised by the copy editor. After this, the manuscript moves on to typesetting, where it is formatted for print or digital distribution. Proofs are generated and sent to the corresponding author to proofread and report any typographical or layout errors within five working days.
vii. Publication and Monitoring
Once the final version is approved, the paper is scheduled for publication in the next issue of the journal, and the corresponding author is notified upon its release. Authors are encouraged to monitor the journal's website and their email for updates regarding their submissions.
viii. Correction to a Published Article
In cases errors are identified after publication, the journal allows for corrections to be made through an official erratum or corrigendum, depending on the nature of the mistake. If a serious ethical violation, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, is discovered post-publication, the journal reserves the right to retract the article in accordance with established publication ethics guidelines.
ix. Retraction
Articles may be retracted for various reasons, including honest errors reported by the authors, research misconduct such as data fabrication, duplicate or overlapping publication, fraudulent data usage, clear plagiarism, or unethical research practices. When an article is retracted, a retraction notice will be issued, clearly stating the reason for retraction and identifying the party initiating the process. This notice will be linked to the retracted article, which typically remains accessible on the journal’s site and is clearly marked as retracted, including the PDF version. Retractions are usually initiated at the request of the authors or the publisher in response to an institutional investigation. The content of a retracted article will only be removed if legal restrictions are imposed on the publisher, copyright holder, or author(s).