Peer Review Policy

The Asia Pacific Journal of Social and Behavioral Sciences (APJSBS) upholds a rigorous peer review policy to ensure the highest standards of academic integrity and quality. Every manuscript is subject to evaluation by a diverse pool of local, national, and international referees, employing a Double-Blind Review System to guarantee impartiality and objectivity.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial and technical assessment to determine their suitability for the journal’s scope and standards. This may include checking completeness, adherence to submission requirements, originality, language and presentation, ethical considerations, and compliance with journal policies. Manuscripts that meet the initial requirements proceed to external peer review.

Each research article that proceeds to external peer review is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers are selected from local, national, and international academic and research communities based on their qualifications and relevance to the manuscript. Additional reviewers may be invited when necessary, particularly when recommendations substantially conflict.

The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) oversees the peer review process, including reviewer selection and assignment, evaluation of reviewer recommendations, and communication of editorial decisions. The EIC makes the final decision to accept, reject, or request revisions based on the reviewers’ assessments and the journal’s editorial standards. Reviewers provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based evaluations, considering the manuscript’s originality, significance, relevance, methodological rigor, clarity, organization, ethical considerations, and scholarly contribution, as applicable.

Reviewers must disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest before accepting an assignment and decline assignments when such conflicts could affect the objectivity of their evaluation. The EIC takes appropriate measures to prevent conflicts of interest.

Authors are given an opportunity to respond to reviewer comments and revise their manuscripts when revisions are requested. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers when necessary. APJSBS maintains the confidentiality of manuscripts and reviewer assessments throughout the review process.