1. Policy overview

Globenix Publisher is committed to rigorous, fair, transparent, and timely peer review. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that manuscripts accepted for publication meet high standards of scientific and scholarly quality, ethical practice, and reproducibility. Peer review is managed by experienced editors supported by independent external reviewers. This policy describes the models of review we may use, the responsibilities of editors, reviewers and authors, and the procedures we follow for ethical concerns, corrections and appeals.

Applicability: Each journal published by Globenix Publisher will state its specific peer review model (single-blind, double-blind, or open) on the respective journal homepage. Where not explicitly stated, a journal’s default model will be noted in the journal’s front matter and in the submission portal.

2. Peer review models we use

Globenix Publisher supports the following peer review models. The specific model used for a submission is determined by the journal and is displayed on the journal’s information for authors page.

• Single-blind review: Reviewers are anonymous; authors’ identities are visible to reviewers and editors.
• Double-blind review: Reviewers do not know authors’ identities and authors do not know reviewers’ identities. Authors must submit an anonymized manuscript for double-blind review (see Author Instructions).
• Open review (transparent): Reviewers’ names and/or reports may be published alongside the article with reviewer consent; the journal will clearly indicate when open review is used.

Editors may invite reviewers to participate in open review only when the reviewer explicitly agrees. Review model details for each journal are available at: /publications/[journal-slug] and in the submission portal.

3. Editorial responsibilities & governance

3.1 Editorial independence

Editors make decisions on manuscripts based solely on intellectual merit, relevance to the journal’s scope, and ethical integrity. Commercial, political or personal interests must not influence editorial decisions. Editors are expected to follow the Editorial Governance framework and declared policies of Globenix Publisher.

3.2 Editor roles

• Editor-in-Chief (EIC): Overall responsibility for editorial standards, appointing editors, and final decisions on manuscripts.
• Associate / Handling Editors: Manage peer review for assigned submissions, select reviewers, assess reports, make recommendations to the EIC, and communicate decisions.
• Editorial Board / Advisory Board: Provide subject expertise, advise on editorial strategy, and may act as reviewers or guest editors for special issues.

3.3 Conflicts of interest (editors)

Editors who have a conflict of interest with a manuscript (e.g., authorship, direct collaboration, same institution, financial interest) must recuse themselves and assign the manuscript to another editor. Recusals are recorded.

4. Reviewer selection & expectations

4.1 Reviewer selection

Reviewers are chosen for their expertise, impartiality, and absence of conflicts of interest. Editors aim to select at least two independent reviewers for each manuscript (or the number specified by the journal). Selection criteria include:

• Subject-matter expertise and publication history.
• No recent co-authorship with any of the authors (recommended within the last 3 years unless disclosed).
• No significant personal, financial, or professional conflict with the authors or work.

Authors may suggest potential reviewers, but editors retain full responsibility for selecting and appointing reviewers.

4.2 Reviewer expectations

Reviewers are expected to:

• Provide a constructive, objective, and timely review focused on scientific quality, originality, reproducibility, and clarity.
• Declare any conflicts of interest and decline invitations if conflicted.
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscript contents and not use information for personal gain.
• Disclose to the editor any concerns about potential ethical issues (plagiarism, fabrication, duplicate submission).
• Use the journal’s reviewer report form and provide specific, actionable comments for editors and authors.

4.3 Review confidentiality & anonymity

Reviewers must keep manuscripts and review reports confidential, and must not share or discuss them except with the handling editor. Anonymity rules are determined by the journal’s review model.

5. Reviewer recognition & training

Globenix Publisher supports reviewer recognition and development:

• Reviewers may receive certificates of review upon request.
• We may provide guidance materials, reviewer checklists, and sample reports to improve review quality.
• Where available and consented, reviewer contributions may be acknowledged (e.g., annual reviewer lists, Publons/integrations) in line with reviewer preferences and data protection rules.

6. Editorial decision categories

Decisions communicated to authors generally fall into these categories:

• Accept — manuscript accepted with no further revisions required (rare).
• Minor revision — acceptable after small changes; authors must submit a point-by-point response.
• Major revision — substantive revision required; resubmission will undergo further editorial/peer review.
• Reject — not acceptable for publication in the journal.

Editors’ decisions are made after considering reviewers’ reports and the manuscript’s fit to scope and standards.

7. Timelines (indicative)

These are target timeframes to help authors and reviewers understand the intended speed of the process; actual times may vary by discipline and special issues:

• Initial editorial check: 3–7 days.
• Peer review assignment & completion: typically 4–10 weeks.
• First decision after review: typically within 6–12 weeks from submission.
• Revision cycles: variable; authors will be given deadlines for resubmission (commonly 2–8 weeks depending on revision extent).

All timelines are indicative; Globenix will communicate delays transparently.

8. Handling ethical concerns, misconduct & plagiarism

8.1 Similarity checks

All submissions undergo similarity screening using established plagiarism detection tools. Significant overlap is flagged for editorial assessment. Authors must declare any related prior publications or preprints.

8.2 Allegations of misconduct

If misconduct is suspected (plagiarism, data fabrication, image manipulation, duplicate submission), the Editor will:

1. Gather evidence (similarity reports, reviewer comments).
2. Contact the corresponding author for an explanation.
3. If necessary, consult the authors’ institutions or funding bodies.
4. Follow established guidelines for outcome (correction, retraction, rejection, or institutional investigation).

Globenix Publisher follows internationally accepted best practices for research integrity and will act according to the severity of the issue.

8.3 Corrections, expressions of concern & retractions

• Correction (Erratum/ Corrigendum): Issued when a minor error affects the article record but not its conclusions.
• Expression of concern: Issued when questions about integrity are unresolved but require notification to readers.
• Retraction: Issued when findings are unreliable due to misconduct or honest error that invalidates conclusions. Retractions will be clearly labelled and linked to the original article record. Retraction notices explain the reason and who is issuing the retraction.

9. Appeals & complaints

9.1 Author appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions if they believe procedures were not followed or new evidence is available. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office at editorial@globenixpublisher.com and include:

• Manuscript ID and title.
• Grounds for appeal and supporting evidence.
• A clear statement of the remedy sought.

Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated independent editorial committee (not involved in the original decision). Outcomes are final and recorded.

9.2 Complaints

Complaints about editorial conduct, reviewer misconduct, or other matters should be sent to the Editorial Office. Complaints will be treated confidentially and investigated promptly.

10. Conflicts of interest (authors, reviewers, editors)

All participants must disclose relevant conflicts of interest.

• Authors: Must declare funding sources, competing financial interests, or relationships that could influence the work.
• Reviewers & Editors: Must declare conflicts and recuse themselves where appropriate.

Disclosed conflicts are published with the article where relevant.

11. Confidentiality, data & reproducibility

• Editors and reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential.
• Authors are required to provide a Data Availability Statement and make data and materials available where feasible, or explain restrictions.
• Reproducibility is supported by encouraging authors to deposit data, materials, and code in recognized repositories and by requiring adequate methods descriptions.

12. Preprints & prior dissemination

Posting on preprint servers is permitted but must be declared at submission. Preprints do not preclude peer review or acceptance. Editors will consider prior dissemination when assessing novelty.

13. Special issues, guest editors & editorial oversight

Special issues and guest edited collections follow the same peer review and editorial standards as regular issues. Guest editors must adhere to Globenix Publisher policies; the Editor-in-Chief provides oversight to ensure consistent standards and to manage conflicts.

14. Transparency & editorial reporting

Globenix Publisher will publish summary editorial statistics annually (e.g., submission counts, acceptance rates, average decision times) on the Publisher or journal pages to promote transparency and indexing readiness.

15. Record-keeping & retention

Editorial records, reviewer reports, and correspondence will be retained for a minimum period in accordance with data protection rules and to support audits or investigations. Requests for historical records should be directed to the Editorial Office.