Peer Review Policy

Pakistan Journal of Zoological Sciences (PJZS | ISSN: 3105-5222) follows a rigorous peer review process to ensure the quality and integrity of all published research.

Type of Peer Review

PJZS uses a double-blind peer review system. This means that:

  • The identities of the authors are hidden from the reviewers

  • The identities of the reviewers are hidden from the authors

This process ensures that manuscripts are judged solely on their scientific merit, without bias based on author identity, institution, or country of origin.

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to PJZS go through the following steps:

Step 1: Initial Editorial Check
When a manuscript is received, the editorial team performs an initial review to ensure it meets the journal's basic requirements. This includes checking for scope alignment, formatting, language quality, and plagiarism. Manuscripts that do not meet these standards may be declined at this stage.

Step 2: Assignment to Reviewers
Manuscripts that pass the initial check are assigned to at least two independent reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected from our database of qualified researchers and are matched based on their subject knowledge.

Step 3: Review Process
Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on originality, methodology, clarity, significance, and adherence to ethical standards. They provide detailed comments and a recommendation to the editor.

Step 4: Editorial Decision
Based on the reviewers' reports and their own assessment, the editor makes one of the following decisions:

  • Accept without changes

  • Minor revisions required

  • Major revisions required

  • Reject

Step 5: Revision and Final Decision
If revisions are requested, authors are given time to submit a revised manuscript along with a response to reviewers. The revised version may be sent back to reviewers for further evaluation if needed. Once all concerns are addressed, the manuscript is accepted for publication.

Review Timeline

PJZS strives to provide a first editorial decision within 51 days on average. The complete process from submission to publication typically takes approximately 8 weeks, depending on the responsiveness of authors and reviewers.

Reviewer Guidelines

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective and constructive feedback

  • Declare any conflicts of interest

  • Maintain confidentiality of the manuscript

  • Complete their review within the requested timeframe

Reviewers are not paid for their service but are acknowledged on the journal's website annually.

Author Responsibilities

Authors must:

  • Ensure their work is original and not submitted elsewhere

  • Follow ethical guidelines for research involving animals or humans

  • Respond to reviewer comments professionally and promptly

  • Provide accurate and complete author information

Plagiarism Screening

All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism before peer review. PJZS accepts only manuscripts with a similarity index of less than 15%. For more details, please see our Plagiarism Policy.

Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by sending a detailed explanation to the editor at PJZS@ijsmartpublishing.com. Appeals will be considered only if significant new information or a clear misunderstanding of the manuscript can be demonstrated.

Contact

For questions about the peer review process, please contact us at: PJZS@ijsmartpublishing.com