Peer Review Process & Policy

Consortium Publisher – ICDTD Inc., Canada

At Consortium Publisher – ICDTD Inc., we are committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and quality in scholarly publishing. Peer review is central to maintaining these standards and ensuring that the work we publish is rigorous, ethical, and contributes meaningfully to scientific discourse.

1. Overview of the Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to our journals undergo a double-blind peer review process, in which both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to one another. This approach ensures impartiality, minimizes bias, and upholds objectivity.

Steps in the Peer Review Workflow:

1. Initial Screening
   Upon submission, manuscripts are screened by the Editorial Office for compliance with journal scope, ethical standards, and formatting guidelines.
2. Editorial Assessment
   An assigned Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor assesses the manuscript’s originality, relevance, and scientific quality. Manuscripts not meeting basic criteria may be rejected at this stage.
3. Reviewer Assignment
   If the manuscript passes the editorial assessment, it is forwarded to 2–3 qualified reviewers with expertise in the relevant field.
4. Peer Review Evaluation
   Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on:
• Scientific originality and contribution
• Methodological rigor
• Clarity of presentation
• Validity of data and conclusions
• Ethical compliance
5. Reviewer Recommendations
   Reviewers provide one of the following recommendations:
• Accept
• Minor revisions
• Major revisions
• Reject
6. Editorial Decision
   Based on reviewers’ feedback, the Editor issues a decision. Authors are notified and provided with constructive comments for revisions, if applicable.
7. Revisions and Final Review
   Revised manuscripts may be sent back to the original reviewers for re-evaluation before a final decision is made.
8. Acceptance and Publication
   Once accepted, the manuscript enters production for copyediting, layout formatting, and publication.

2. Peer Reviewer Selection

Reviewers are selected based on:

• Subject matter expertise
• Prior publication history
• Ethical reputation
• Availability and responsiveness

We strive for a diverse and international pool of reviewers to ensure broad, equitable perspectives across disciplines.

3. Reviewer Ethics and Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to:

• Maintain confidentiality of manuscript content
• Declare any conflicts of interest
• Provide objective, evidence-based evaluations
• Refrain from using submitted data for personal gain

Our reviewers agree to adhere to the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).

4. Author Responsibilities

Authors are required to:

• Submit original work free from plagiarism
• Disclose any conflicts of interest
• Adhere to ethical standards for human and animal research
• Cooperate during the review and revision process

Authors must follow the ICMJE recommendations for authorship and transparency in reporting.

5. Appeals and Complaints

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions. Appeals must be submitted in writing with clear justification. The editorial team will review appeals objectively, and where necessary, the manuscript may be re-evaluated by an independent reviewer.

Complaints about the peer review process, misconduct, or editorial decisions should be directed to:
ethics@consortiumpublisher.ca

6. Transparency and Editorial Integrity

We are committed to:

• Ensuring accountability in editorial decisions
• Preventing coercive citations and favoritism
• Disclosing publication timelines and reviewer acknowledgments (when appropriate)

We support initiatives such as:

• Open Peer Review (optional)
• ORCID integration for reviewers and authors
• Plagiarism checks via third-party tools (e.g., iThenticate)

7. Confidentiality and Data Protection

All submitted materials and correspondence are treated as confidential. Reviewer identities are protected under the double-blind model. Data submitted with manuscripts is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Contact Us

For questions related to the peer review policy, reviewer registration, or manuscript inquiries, please contact:

Editorial Office
editor@consortiumpublisher.ca
office@consortiumpublisher.ca

www.consortiumpublisher.com