ISSN 2951-9853
Publication and Peer Review Process ​​​​​​​​​​​​
Submission and Initial Screening
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Once submitted, all manuscripts undergo a preliminary technical check by the Managing Editor. This includes:
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Verifying formatting and completeness
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Ensuring ethical declarations are included
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Running a plagiarism check using Crossref Similarity Check
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Manuscripts that pass the technical check are reviewed for scope and quality by the Co-Editor-in-Chief or Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Those that align with AJB's aims and meet basic standards proceed to peer review.
Peer Review Process
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AJB uses a double-blind peer review system:
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Authors and reviewers remain anonymous
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Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers
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Reviewers assess the manuscript using a standardized evaluation form covering relevance, originality, methodology, clarity, ethical rigor, and contextual significance
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The review process typically follows this timeline:​
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Reviewer invitations: within 7 days of assignment
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Reviews submitted: within 21 days
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Editorial decision: within 7 days of final review
Editorial Decision
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Based on reviewer recommendations and Associate Editor input, the Co-Editor-in-Chief makes one of the following decisions:
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Accept without revisions
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Accept with minor revisions
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Major revisions required
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Reject with option to resubmit
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Reject
Authors receive a detailed editorial letter along with anonymized reviewer comments. For revised submissions, authors must submit a point-by-point response using the AJB Author Response Template.
Revision and Final Acceptance
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Authors are generally given:
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30 days for minor revisions
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60 days for major revisions
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Revised manuscripts may be sent for a second round of peer review. Once accepted, the manuscript undergoes copyediting, layout formatting, author proofing, and DOI assignment.
Production and Publication
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AJB uses a hybrid publishing model:
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Continuous publication: articles are published online immediately upon acceptance
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Quarterly issues: articles are compiled into quarterly collections (March, June, September, December)
All published articles are:
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Assigned a DOI and registered via Crossref
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Indexed in major databases (indexing in progress)
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Archived for long-term access
Transparency and Ethics
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AJB is committed to:
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Publishing review statistics and average timelines
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Maintaining editorial independence
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Disclosing conflicts of interest
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Upholding editorial accountability and integrity
For more information or to track your manuscript, visit: www.africanjournalofbioethics.org