Impact in Agriculture

Peer Review Policy

Impact in Agriculture is committed to rigorous, ethical, and transparent peer review. The journal follows a single-blind review process: reviewers remain anonymous to authors, while authors’ identities are visible to reviewers. The review system is aligned with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Overview of the Review Process

1. Initial Screening – All submissions undergo checks for completeness, formatting compliance, and plagiarism according to the journal’s policies.
2. Editor Assignment – An Associate Editor evaluates the manuscript for relevance, clarity, and scientific contribution.
3. Reviewer Selection – Each manuscript proceeding to external peer review is assigned to at least two independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Reviewers are selected based on their qualifications, research experience, independence, and absence of conflicts of interest.
4. Peer Review – Each manuscript proceeding to external peer review undergoes evaluation by at least two independent reviewers. Reviewers assess originality, methodological soundness, technical correctness, ethical integrity, and clarity of presentation. Editorial decisions are informed by the completed reviewer reports.
5. Editorial Decision – Based on the completed reviewer reports and editorial assessment, the Editor-in-Chief or authorized handling editor makes one of the following decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, Reject and Resubmit, or Reject.
6. Revision Stage – Authors must submit a point-by-point response addressing all reviewer comments.
7. Final Acceptance – Once all scientific, ethical, and editorial requirements have been satisfied, the Editor-in-Chief or authorized handling editor makes the final acceptance decision. Accepted manuscripts then proceed to production and are published online after copyediting, formatting, and final publication checks.

2. Review Criteria

• Relevance to the journal’s aims and scope
• Originality and contribution to the field
• Scientific validity, methodology, and technical accuracy
• Clarity of presentation and organization
• Compliance with ethical research and reporting standards

3. Continuous Publication Model

The journal follows a continuous publication model. Accepted manuscripts are published online individually after completion of the production process and are assigned to the active volume without waiting for a scheduled issue release.

4. Reviewer Confidentiality

Reviewer identities are strictly confidential and are never disclosed to authors. Manuscripts and review reports are treated as privileged documents.

5. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal an editorial decision by submitting a detailed, evidence-based justification. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and may involve consultation with additional experts. Decisions made after appeal are final.