All manuscripts submitted to the Zagazig University Medical Journal (ZUMJ) undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process. This involves evaluation by members of the Editorial Board as well as external reviewers who possess relevant expertise in the manuscript’s subject area.
The review process proceeds as follows:
Initial Editorial Assessment
Upon submission, the manuscript is initially assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor-in-Chief to determine its suitability for ZUMJ in terms of scope and quality.
Editorial Board Assignment
If deemed suitable, the manuscript is assigned to a reviewing editor (a member of the Editorial Board) who oversees the peer review process.
External Peer Review
The reviewing editor invites a minimum of two independent expert reviewers, who are blinded to the identity of the manuscript’s authors, to conduct a thorough review. Reviewers assess the manuscript’s scientific validity, originality, clarity, and relevance, and provide recommendations for acceptance, revision, or rejection.
Editorial Decision
Based on the reviewers’ reports and the reviewing editor’s assessment, the Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection of the manuscript.
Timeframe:
The average time for the first editorial decision is 30 days.
The average time for the final decision is approximately 45 days.
ZUMJ fully supports the ethical responsibilities and editorial independence of journal editors as outlined by the Council of Science Editors (CSE):
http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3286
We also promote a systematic and ethical approach to manuscript evaluation and provide all reviewers with the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers:
https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/cope-ethical-guidelines-peer-reviewers
