Peer Review Process

The double-blind system is implemented through strict editorial controls within the manuscript management system. All identifying metadata is removed prior to reviewer access, and communication between authors and reviewers is mediated exclusively through the editorial office. This structure ensures that assessment focuses purely on the scientific and scholarly merit of the manuscript, reinforcing transparency and procedural integrity throughout the publication workflow.

1. Manuscript Submission

Authors must submit manuscripts electronically through the journal’s official online submission system. Submissions must comply with the journal’s author guidelines, formatting template, citation style, and ethical standards. Upon receipt, the Editor-in-Chief assigns the manuscript to the Managing Editor or relevant Section Editor, who oversees the editorial workflow, verifies completeness of submission documents (including authorship declaration, conflict of interest statement, and originality statement), and ensures compliance with ethical requirements before proceeding to the next stage.

Authors are required to confirm that the manuscript has not been published previously and is not under consideration elsewhere. Any use of third-party materials must be properly licensed and cited. Where applicable, research involving human participants, communities, or vulnerable populations must include evidence of ethical clearance or institutional approval. Failure to comply with submission requirements may result in administrative rejection prior to review.

2. Initial Evaluation and Similarity Screening

The editorial team conducts a preliminary evaluation to assess alignment with the journal’s scope, academic relevance, methodological soundness, and adherence to formatting requirements. At this stage, all manuscripts are subjected to mandatory similarity screening using iThenticate by Turnitin. The journal enforces a strict maximum similarity threshold of 10%, excluding properly cited references, direct quotations, and bibliographic sections.

Manuscripts exceeding this threshold may be returned to authors for clarification and revision or rejected outright, depending on the severity and nature of overlap. The journal applies a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, redundant publication, mosaic plagiarism, inappropriate paraphrasing, citation manipulation, and artificial text generation without disclosure. This policy aligns with international best practices in publication ethics and ensures the originality, authenticity, and scholarly independence of every published article.

3. Assignment of Reviewers

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers with recognized academic competence and publication records in relevant fields such as social work, social policy, community development, social welfare, or related disciplines. Reviewer selection is based on subject expertise, research experience, prior review performance, and absence of conflicts of interest.

4. Review Process and Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on originality, theoretical contribution, methodological rigor, analytical depth, clarity of argumentation, adequacy of references, and relevance to contemporary issues in social work, social policy, and community welfare. Evaluations must be objective, evidence-based, and constructive, providing detailed recommendations for improvement where necessary.

The standard review period is approximately four to six weeks. Reviewers are expected to treat manuscripts as confidential documents and must not share, distribute, reproduce, or use the material for personal, institutional, or commercial advantage.

5. Editorial Decision

• Accepted as is
• Accepted with Minor Revisions
• Accepted with Major Revisions
• Resubmit for Review (Conditional Rejection)
• Rejected

6. Revision and Resubmission

Authors required to revise must submit a revised manuscript accompanied by a detailed response letter addressing each reviewer comment systematically. Minor revisions are typically expected within two weeks, while major revisions may be granted up to four weeks.

7. Article Processing Charge (APC)

Indonesia Journal of Social Work does not charge any Article Processing Charges (APC). All stages of the publication process, including manuscript submission, initial screening, peer review, editorial decision, copyediting, layout editing, and final publication, are provided entirely free of charge to authors.

The journal is committed to supporting equitable access to academic publishing by removing financial barriers for researchers, practitioners, and scholars in the field of social work and social welfare studies. As an open-access journal, all published articles are made freely available to readers worldwide without subscription fees or publication charges.

8. Galley Proof and Publication

Accepted manuscripts proceed through copyediting, layout editing, metadata preparation, DOI registration, and final proofreading. Authors receive galley proofs for verification prior to publication. Only typographical and minor corrections are permitted at this stage.

Peer Review Integrity

Indonesia Journal of Social Work is fully committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and preventing publication malpractice. The journal harmonizes its policies with internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.

Through these comprehensive policies, Indonesia Journal of Social Work ensures the credibility, transparency, accountability, and ethical integrity of its peer review system and published scholarship, fostering responsible academic knowledge dissemination in the field of social work and social welfare studies.