All manuscripts submitted to the International Journal of Organ Transplantation Medicine (IJOTM) undergo an initial editorial assessment before peer review. At this stage, the Editorial Office checks the submission for completeness, conformity with the journal’s formatting and ethical requirements, and overall suitability for the journal’s aims and scope. Manuscripts may be returned to authors for technical correction before further evaluation if essential files, statements, or documentation are missing.
After this preliminary screening, the Editor-in-Chief, or an assigned editor, evaluates the manuscript for originality, scientific quality, methodological soundness, ethical compliance, and relevance to transplantation medicine. Manuscripts that are clearly outside the journal’s scope or do not meet the minimum scientific or editorial standards may be rejected at this stage without external peer review.
Manuscripts considered suitable for further evaluation are assigned to a handling editor or a member of the Editorial Board with expertise in the relevant subject area. IJOTM uses a single-blind peer review system, in which reviewers know the identities of the authors, but reviewer identities are not disclosed to the authors. The handling editor invites usually two to three independent reviewers with appropriate expertise to assess the scientific merit, originality, clarity, methodological rigor, ethical standards, and clinical or scholarly contribution of the manuscript.
When a submission includes complex statistical analyses, advanced methodology, or specialized technical data, the manuscript may also be reviewed by a statistical advisor or another specialist consultant. The journal may seek additional opinions whenever the editors consider it necessary to ensure a fair, rigorous, and informed evaluation.
Based on the reviewers’ reports and the handling editor’s assessment, a decision is made to accept the manuscript, request minor revision, request major revision, or reject it. Reviewer comments and editorial recommendations are communicated to the corresponding author, who is invited to revise the manuscript and provide a clear, point-by-point response to all comments. Revised submissions are assessed by the handling editor and, when appropriate, may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation.
The final decision on a manuscript is made by the Editor-in-Chief, taking into account the recommendations of the handling editor, peer reviewers, and any specialist advisors. The corresponding author is then informed of the editorial decision.
Accepted manuscripts proceed to the production stage, which includes copyediting, formatting, proofreading, and preparation of page proofs or galley proofs. The corresponding author receives the proof for final review and approval and is expected to check it carefully for typographical or factual errors. After author approval and completion of the production process, the article is scheduled for publication in the journal.
The journal is committed to a fair, timely, confidential, and academically rigorous editorial process and follows recognized standards of publication ethics throughout editorial assessment, peer review, and publication.
Here is a slightly more formal version if you want it to sound more like a policy page:
Peer Review and Editorial Process
The International Journal of Organ Transplantation Medicine (IJOTM) applies a rigorous editorial and peer review procedure to ensure the quality, integrity, and scientific relevance of all published articles. Upon submission, each manuscript is first examined by the Editorial Office for compliance with the journal’s submission requirements, ethical policies, and scope. Submissions that are incomplete or fail to meet essential technical requirements may be returned to the authors for correction before editorial evaluation.
The Editor-in-Chief, or a designated editor, then performs an initial editorial review to assess the manuscript’s originality, scientific quality, relevance, and suitability for peer review. Manuscripts that do not satisfy the journal’s standards or fall outside its scope may be declined without external review.
For manuscripts that proceed to review, the Editor-in-Chief assigns the submission to a handling editor or an Editorial Board member with expertise in the relevant field. IJOTM uses a single-blind peer review model. The handling editor selects usually two to three expert reviewers to evaluate the manuscript. Reviewers are asked to assess the novelty, validity, clarity, methodology, ethical conduct, and overall contribution of the work.
Where appropriate, manuscripts involving complex statistical analyses or specialized technical issues may additionally be assessed by a statistical reviewer or other expert advisor. The handling editor considers all reviewer reports and makes a recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief.
Reviewer comments and editorial recommendations are sent to the corresponding author. When revisions are requested, authors should submit a revised manuscript together with a detailed response explaining how each comment has been addressed. Revised manuscripts may undergo further editorial assessment and, when necessary, additional peer review.
The final publication decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief. Once accepted, manuscripts enter production for copyediting, typesetting, and proof preparation. Galley proofs are sent to the corresponding author for final correction and approval before publication.