Asia-Pacific Social Research (APSR) is committed to maintaining a rigorous, fair, and transparent peer review process to ensure the highest academic standards.
1. Initial Editorial Screening
Upon submission, every manuscript undergoes an initial check by the editorial office and editors-in-chief to verify:
Compliance with journal scope and aims
Adherence to submission guidelines and ethical standards
Completeness of required documents and disclosures
Manuscripts failing to meet these criteria may be desk-rejected without peer review.
2. Double-Blind Peer Review
Qualified manuscripts proceed to a double-blind peer review, meaning:
Reviewers do not know the identity of the authors
Authors do not know the identity of the reviewers
Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent experts in the relevant field.
Reviewers assess originality, methodological rigor, significance, clarity, and adherence to ethical standards.
3. Review Timeline
The typical review period is 4 to 6 weeks from submission to first decision.
Authors may be requested to revise their manuscript based on reviewers’ comments.
Revised manuscripts are reassessed to confirm that concerns have been adequately addressed.
4. Editorial Decision
Based on reviewers’ recommendations and editors’ judgment, decisions can be:
Accept without revision (rare)
Accept with minor or major revisions
Reject
Editors strive to provide constructive feedback to help authors improve their work.
5. Appeals and Ethical Concerns
Authors who believe their manuscript was unfairly rejected may submit a written appeal to the editorial office for reconsideration.
APSR follows COPE guidelines for handling disputes and ethical issues.
6. Post-Acceptance
Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading before final publication.
Authors are responsible for responding promptly to queries during this stage.
We appreciate the contribution of our reviewers and authors in upholding APSR’s commitment to scholarly excellence.
