The UniVlora Scientific Journal (UVSJ) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Research articles submitted to UVSJ undergo peer review before publication.

Initial Editorial Assessment

All submitted manuscripts are first assessed by the section Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor to determine whether they fit the journal's aims and scope and meet the basic requirements for scientific, technical, and ethical consideration.

As part of the initial assessment, all submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and inappropriate text similarity using the iThenticate platform, a Turnitin service. The similarity report is evaluated by the editorial team, taking into account the nature and context of the identified similarities. A similarity score alone does not automatically determine whether a manuscript contains plagiarism.

Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's basic requirements, fall outside its scope, or raise significant concerns regarding originality or publication ethics may be rejected at this stage without being sent for external peer review.

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial assessment are sent for external peer review.

Peer Reviewers

Each research manuscript is normally reviewed by at least two independent external reviewers with appropriate expertise in the subject area of the manuscript.

Reviewers are selected by the section Editor-in-Chief. Editorial Board members do not review manuscripts where their participation would compromise the independence of the review.

Authors may suggest potential reviewers, but the final selection of reviewers is made independently by UVSJ.

Type of Peer Review

UVSJ uses a double-blind peer-review process. The identities of the authors are concealed from reviewers, and the identities of reviewers are concealed from authors.

Authors are therefore asked to remove identifying information from the manuscript prepared for peer review.

Reviewer Responsibilities and Evaluation

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on their:

r  scientific quality and originality;

r  relevance to the journal's aims and scope;

r  structure and organization

r  methodological soundness;

r  quality and interpretation of data;

r  clarity of presentation; language and style

r  overall contribution to the relevant field.

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and declare any conflict of interest that could affect their assessment.

Supplementary Materials

Supplementary materials that are relevant to the research may be reviewed together with the main manuscript when the editor considers this necessary for an appropriate scientific assessment.

Review Reports and Reviewer Anonymity

Peer-review reports are confidential and are not published with the article.

UVSJ uses anonymous peer review. Reviewers' identities are not disclosed to authors during or after the review process, unless a reviewer voluntarily identifies themselves.

Editorial Decision

The final decision on a manuscript is made by the section Editor-in-Chief, taking into consideration the reviewers' recommendations, the quality of the manuscript, its relevance to UVSJ, and compliance with the journal's editorial and ethical standards.

The editor may request revisions, additional reviews, or further clarification from the authors when necessary.

Possible decisions include:

r  acceptance,

r  minor revision,

r  major revision,

r  rejection.

A positive recommendation from a reviewer does not by itself guarantee acceptance or publication.

Exceptions to External Peer Review

Editorials, book reviews, announcements, and other non-research materials may be assessed by the Editorial Board and may not undergo the standard external peer-review process.

Where a manuscript is subject to a review process different from the standard procedure, the applicable process is determined by the Editorial Board.

Peer Review Integrity

UVSJ is committed to conducting peer review fairly, independently, and confidentially. The journal does not guarantee acceptance of submitted manuscripts, and editorial decisions are based on the scientific quality and suitability of the submitted work.