Review Process Policy

Peer Review Process 

 

1. Editorial Policy and Scope of Review

Kajian Pendidikan, Seni, Budaya, Sosial dan Lingkungan (KPSBSL) is committed to maintaining high standards of academic quality, originality, integrity, and ethical scholarly publishing. All manuscripts submitted to the journal must comply with its focus and scope, author guidelines, publication ethics policies, and applicable submission requirements.

KPSBSL welcomes original scholarly contributions in education, politics, law, humanities, arts, cultural studies, social sciences, environmental studies, economics, and related interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fields, particularly those addressing contemporary issues in Asia, Africa, and global contexts.

Submitted manuscripts must demonstrate academic merit, originality, methodological rigor, theoretical relevance, or significant contributions to scholarly understanding and professional practice. Manuscripts that fall outside the journal's scope, fail to meet the basic submission requirements, or do not demonstrate sufficient scholarly quality may be rejected during the initial editorial screening without proceeding to external peer review.

2. Initial Editorial Screening

All manuscripts received by KPSBSL undergo an initial assessment by the editorial team before being considered for peer review. This screening is intended to determine whether the submission meets the journal's basic requirements and is suitable for further evaluation.

The initial screening considers the following aspects:

• Scope and relevance: The manuscript must align with the journal's focus on education, arts, culture, social sciences, environmental studies, and related disciplines.
• Originality and contribution: The manuscript should offer an original contribution to knowledge, theory, research methods, policy, or scholarly practice.
• Academic quality: The manuscript must demonstrate a clear research purpose, appropriate methodology or analytical framework, logical argumentation, and conclusions supported by evidence.
• Language and presentation: The manuscript must be written in clear, accurate, and academically appropriate English.
• Formatting and completeness: The submission must comply with the journal's author guidelines and include the required manuscript components and supporting documents.
• Publication ethics: The manuscript must comply with the journal's requirements concerning originality, authorship, research ethics, conflicts of interest, and other relevant ethical declarations.

Manuscripts that require minor administrative or technical corrections may be returned to the authors for improvement before further processing. Submissions that are substantially unsuitable or fail to meet essential editorial requirements may be rejected at this stage.

3. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

KPSBSL considers originality and proper acknowledgment of sources essential principles of academic integrity. All submitted manuscripts are subject to similarity screening before being sent to external reviewers.

The editorial team uses plagiarism detection or similarity-checking software to identify potential overlap with previously published articles, books, conference papers, online sources, and other available scholarly materials. Authors are strongly encouraged to check their manuscripts using appropriate plagiarism detection tools before submission.

Similarity reports are evaluated by the editorial team to determine whether identified overlaps are appropriately quoted, cited, referenced, or otherwise justified. A similarity percentage alone does not establish whether plagiarism has occurred, and editorial decisions will take into account the nature, extent, context, and attribution of the overlapping material.

Manuscripts containing plagiarism, substantial unattributed copying, inappropriate text recycling, fabricated references, or other serious violations of publication ethics may be returned for correction or rejected, depending on the circumstances. Serious cases may be handled in accordance with the journal's plagiarism policy and research misconduct procedures.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions are original, that all sources are properly acknowledged, and that any third-party material is used with appropriate permission where required.

4. English Language Requirements

All manuscripts submitted to KPSBSL must be written in clear, accurate, and academically appropriate English. Manuscripts should use consistent terminology, coherent paragraph structure, correct grammar, and language that communicates the research objectives, methods, findings, and conclusions effectively.

Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to seek professional language editing or proofreading before submission. Authors may use qualified academic editors or reputable English-language editing services, including International Science Editing or Asia Science Editing, if appropriate.

Language editing services do not guarantee acceptance or publication. The responsibility for the accuracy, originality, scholarly content, and final wording of the manuscript remains with the authors.

Manuscripts that are difficult to understand because of substantial language problems may be returned to the authors for revision before peer review or may be declined if the problems prevent a fair assessment of their scholarly merit.

5. Originality and Exclusive Submission

Manuscripts submitted to KPSBSL must represent original scholarly work and must not have been published previously in substantially the same form or be under consideration for publication by another journal at the same time, except where an explicitly permitted publication arrangement applies and has been disclosed to the editorial team.

Authors must ensure that the manuscript does not infringe the copyright or other rights of third parties and that any previously published material is appropriately cited and used in accordance with applicable permissions and licensing requirements.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the work is original, that all listed authors have approved the submission, and that the manuscript complies with the journal's publication ethics requirements.

Any concerns regarding duplicate publication, redundant submission, plagiarism, or other forms of publication misconduct will be assessed in accordance with KPSBSL's relevant policies.

6. Double-Blind Peer Review

KPSBSL employs a double-blind peer-review process to promote impartial, objective, and independent scholarly evaluation. Under this system, the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from one another throughout the review process, to the extent practicable.

Authors must prepare an anonymized manuscript by removing names, institutional affiliations, acknowledgments, and other identifying information from the main document. Identifying information in document properties and file metadata should also be removed where necessary. Author names, affiliations, contact details, and other required identifying information should be provided separately through the journal's submission system or designated submission files.

Authors should avoid wording that unnecessarily reveals their identities in the anonymized manuscript. Where references to their previous publications are necessary, these should be presented in accordance with the journal's anonymization instructions without compromising the accuracy of scholarly attribution.

Reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively and confidentially, without attempting to identify the authors or allowing personal, professional, institutional, or other competing interests to influence their assessments.

Although the journal takes reasonable steps to preserve anonymity, complete anonymity cannot be guaranteed in every case, particularly when the research topic, publicly available data, or cited work makes the authors' identities recognizable.

7. Assignment of Reviewers

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening may be assigned to an editor responsible for coordinating the peer-review process. The editor will identify reviewers with relevant expertise in the manuscript's subject area, research methodology, theoretical framework, or disciplinary context.

Each research article considered suitable for external peer review will normally be evaluated by at least two independent expert reviewers. Depending on the nature of the submission, additional reviewers may be invited when specialized expertise or further assessment is required.

Reviewer selection will take into account relevant academic qualifications, subject expertise, research experience, independence, and potential conflicts of interest. Reviewers should not have relationships or interests that could reasonably compromise their impartiality.

If a reviewer identifies a conflict of interest or determines that they cannot provide an objective assessment, they must inform the editor and decline the invitation or withdraw from the review.

The journal may invite reviewers from different institutions, disciplines, or geographical regions when appropriate to the manuscript's subject and the availability of qualified experts.

8. Review Criteria and Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are requested to assess manuscripts carefully, constructively, and objectively. Their evaluations should help the editors determine the manuscript's suitability for publication and provide authors with meaningful feedback to improve scholarly quality.

The review may consider the following criteria:

1. Relevance to the journal: The extent to which the manuscript fits the aims and scope of KPSBSL.
2. Originality and novelty: The extent to which the manuscript offers new findings, perspectives, interpretations, theories, methods, or meaningful synthesis.
3. Research problem and objectives: The clarity, significance, and coherence of the research questions, objectives, or central arguments.
4. Literature review and theoretical framework: The adequacy, relevance, and critical use of existing literature and theoretical perspectives.
5. Methodological rigor: The appropriateness, transparency, and reliability of the research design, data collection, analytical methods, and interpretation.
6. Findings and discussion: The clarity and credibility of the findings and the extent to which the discussion is supported by evidence and relevant scholarship.
7. Academic contribution: The significance of the manuscript for advancing knowledge, theory, policy, professional practice, or interdisciplinary understanding.
8. Ethical compliance: The adequacy of relevant research ethics procedures, informed consent, source attribution, and other applicable ethical requirements.
9. Language and organization: The clarity, structure, coherence, and readability of the manuscript.
10. References and supporting materials: The accuracy and relevance of citations, references, tables, figures, and other supporting materials.

Reviewers should provide clear explanations for their recommendations and identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript. Criticism should be professional, evidence-based, and directed at the scholarly content rather than the personal characteristics of the authors.

Reviewers must treat manuscripts and associated information as confidential. Unpublished material obtained through peer review must not be used for personal advantage, shared without authorization, or incorporated into the reviewer's own research.

9. Editorial Decisions

The final decision on whether a manuscript is accepted for publication rests with the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately authorized editor acting in accordance with the journal's editorial policies.

Editorial decisions are based on the manuscript's scholarly quality, originality, relevance to the journal's scope, ethical compliance, and the substance of reviewers' evaluations. Reviewers provide recommendations, but the final decision remains an editorial responsibility.

Possible editorial decisions include:

• Accept: The manuscript is accepted for publication without substantive revision, subject to any remaining editorial or production requirements.
• Minor Revision: The manuscript requires limited revisions to improve clarity, presentation, references, or other aspects that do not substantially affect the central argument or findings.
• Major Revision: The manuscript requires substantial revision to address significant concerns regarding methodology, analysis, theoretical framing, interpretation, structure, or scholarly contribution.
• Reject: The manuscript is unsuitable for publication because it falls outside the journal's scope, lacks sufficient scholarly merit or originality, has serious methodological or ethical problems, or does not meet the journal's publication standards.

The editor may request additional reviews or clarification when reviewer reports are conflicting, insufficient, or inconclusive. A revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed by other qualified reviewers, depending on the nature of the revisions.

A revision request does not guarantee acceptance. The final decision will depend on the adequacy of the revisions and the editor's assessment of the manuscript's overall quality and suitability.

10. Revision and Resubmission

Authors who receive a revision decision are expected to address the editor's and reviewers' comments carefully and submit the revised manuscript within the deadline specified by the editorial office, where applicable.

A revised submission should include:

• A revised manuscript incorporating the changes made in response to the comments.
• A point-by-point response explaining how each editorial and reviewer comment has been addressed.
• A clear explanation, supported by scholarly reasoning, for any recommendation that the authors have not adopted.
• Any additional documents or declarations requested by the editorial team.

Authors should ensure that revisions do not introduce new errors, unsupported claims, inappropriate citations, or ethical concerns.

If additional time is required, the corresponding author should contact the editorial office before the deadline. Failure to submit a revision within the specified period may result in the manuscript being considered withdrawn or requiring a new submission, subject to the editor's decision.

11. Confidentiality, Impartiality, and Conflicts of Interest

KPSBSL is committed to ensuring that manuscripts are evaluated fairly and without inappropriate influence from personal relationships, institutional affiliations, academic status, nationality, or other irrelevant considerations.

Editors and reviewers must disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest and withdraw from the review or decision-making process when their impartiality may reasonably be compromised.

All manuscript files, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and unpublished research information must be handled confidentially. Such information may be disclosed only when necessary for legitimate editorial, ethical, or legal purposes.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to comply with the journal's publication ethics and conflict-of-interest policies throughout the review process.

12. Appeals and Complaints

Authors who believe that an editorial decision resulted from a significant factual error, procedural irregularity, or misunderstanding of the manuscript may submit a reasoned appeal to the KPSBSL editorial office.

An appeal should clearly explain the grounds for reconsideration and provide relevant supporting evidence. Disagreement with a reviewer's scholarly opinion alone may not be sufficient to justify an appeal.

Appeals will be assessed impartially in accordance with the journal's editorial policies. Where appropriate, the Editor-in-Chief may seek an independent assessment or assign the matter to an editor who was not directly involved in the original decision.

The journal may also consider complaints concerning reviewer conduct, editorial procedures, or possible breaches of publication ethics. Such matters will be handled in accordance with the journal's relevant policies.

13. Publication Scheduling

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for determining the publication schedule and assigning accepted manuscripts to appropriate journal issues.

KPSBSL publishes two issues per year, in March and September. Accepted manuscripts are scheduled for publication according to editorial readiness, completion of revisions and production, the order of acceptance where appropriate, thematic relevance, and the journal's publication planning.

The journal may also consider the balance of topics, disciplinary representation, and geographical diversity of authors when organizing each issue, provided that these considerations do not override scholarly quality, editorial fairness, or the integrity of the publication process.

Acceptance of a manuscript does not guarantee publication in a particular issue. The final placement will be determined by the Editor-in-Chief in accordance with the journal's publication schedule and editorial priorities.

14. Estimated Review Duration

The duration of peer review may vary depending on the manuscript's subject, methodological complexity, availability of qualified reviewers, and the time required for authors to complete revisions.

KPSBSL aims to conduct the review process as efficiently as possible without compromising the quality, independence, and fairness of scholarly evaluation. Authors will be informed of editorial decisions and relevant next steps through the journal's official communication channels.

The journal does not guarantee a fixed review period or acceptance date. Delays may occur when additional reviewers are required, substantial revisions are necessary, or further ethical clarification is needed.

15. Final Publication Decision

Following completion of peer review and any required revisions, the editor will determine whether the manuscript meets the journal's standards for publication. Accepted manuscripts may undergo language editing, copyediting, formatting, reference verification, and other production procedures before publication.

Authors may be asked to review proofs and correct production errors before the article is published. Proofreading at this stage is intended primarily to identify typographical, formatting, and production errors rather than to introduce substantial new content or alter the findings.

The journal reserves the right to delay publication or reconsider an editorial decision if significant concerns arise regarding originality, research integrity, authorship, ethical compliance, or the accuracy of the manuscript.

16. Commitment to Quality and Ethical Peer Review

Through its double-blind peer-review system, KPSBSL seeks to promote academic excellence, methodological rigor, interdisciplinary dialogue, and responsible scholarly communication.

The journal is committed to maintaining a review process that is confidential, impartial, transparent in its procedures, and consistent with recognized publication ethics principles. Authors, reviewers, and editors share responsibility for ensuring that manuscripts are evaluated fairly and that published articles contribute meaningfully to the advancement of knowledge in education, arts, culture, social sciences, environmental studies, and related fields.

All editorial and publication decisions are made with the aim of preserving the quality, credibility, and integrity of the scholarly record.