All scholarly manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Civil Engineering, Environment and Architecture (JCEEA), including Original Research Articles, Review Articles and Technical Papers, undergo independent peer review before publication. The journal uses a single-blind peer review model, in which the reviewers know the identity of the authors, while the identities of the reviewers are not disclosed to the authors.
Initial Editorial Assessment
Each submitted manuscript is initially assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor to determine whether it:
- falls within the aims and scope of the journal;
- meets the journal's basic editorial, formal and scientific requirements;
- presents sufficient scientific quality and originality to proceed to external peer review.
Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be rejected without external review.
Selection of Reviewers
Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial assessment are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with appropriate expertise in the subject of the manuscript.
Reviewers are selected on the basis of their scientific expertise and ability to provide an independent and objective assessment. Reviewers should not be affiliated with the same institution as the authors and must not have conflicts of interest that could affect the impartiality of the review.
Whenever possible, the Editorial Team seeks to ensure international diversity in the selection of reviewers.
Review Process
Reviewers are asked to evaluate the scientific quality of the manuscript, including its:
- originality and contribution to the field;
- methodological and scientific soundness;
- quality and clarity of the presentation of results;
- validity of the analysis and conclusions;
- relevance to the aims and scope of JCEEA;
- appropriate use and citation of relevant scientific literature.
Each reviewer provides a written report and recommends one of the following editorial decisions:
- accept;
- accept after minor revisions;
- reconsider after major revisions;
- reject.
Reviews that do not meet the journal's substantive or ethical standards may be disregarded by the Editorial Team.
Revision
Reviewer comments are communicated to the authors. When revisions are requested, authors are expected to address the reviewers' comments and provide a revised version of the manuscript together with a response explaining how the comments have been addressed.
A revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation, particularly when major revisions have been requested.
Editorial Decision
The final decision on acceptance or rejection is made by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor, taking into account the reviewers' reports, the authors' responses and the scientific quality of the manuscript.
In cases where reviewers provide substantially conflicting recommendations, the editor may seek an additional independent review before making the final decision.
Editorial decisions are based on scientific merit and are independent of the authors' institutional affiliation, nationality or other personal characteristics.
Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest
Manuscripts submitted for review are treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not disclose or use information obtained during the peer-review process for purposes unrelated to the evaluation of the manuscript.
Reviewers are required to disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest and should decline the review if such a conflict could compromise their impartiality.
Detailed ethical responsibilities of reviewers, authors and editors are described in the journal's Publication Ethics policy.
Manuscripts submitted by members of the Editorial Team or Editorial Board are subject to the same peer-review requirements as other submissions. The author concerned is excluded from the editorial handling and decision-making process, and responsibility for the manuscript is assigned to another editor without a conflict of interest.
Reviewer Anonymity
JCEEA follows a single-blind peer-review model. Reviewers remain anonymous to the authors during and after the review process.
The journal may periodically publish a list of reviewers who have contributed to the peer-review process. Such acknowledgement does not disclose which manuscripts were reviewed by individual reviewers.