Peer Review Process

1. Initial Editorial Screening

All manuscripts submitted to Vocational: Journal of Educational Technology undergo a rigorous initial screening process conducted by the editorial team. This preliminary review is intended to evaluate whether the manuscript:

  • Aligns with the journal’s focus and scope.

  • Demonstrates a sufficient level of academic contribution and originality,

  • Adheres to the journal's required format and structure,

  • Uses clear and acceptable academic English,

  • Follows basic research ethics.

Only manuscripts that meet these basic standards will proceed to the peer review phase.

2. Reviewer Assignment and Selection

After passing the initial editorial screening, manuscripts are assigned to a minimum of two qualified and independent reviewers, selected based on their academic expertise and familiarity with the topic area of the manuscript. The journal ensures that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the authors, institutions, or the content of the research. Reviewer identities remain hidden from authors throughout the process to maintain neutrality and objectivity.

3. Double-Blind Peer Review Policy

The journal implements a double-blind peer review model. This means that both the identities of the authors and the reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process. This policy is applied to ensure that all submissions are evaluated fairly, without any bias based on the author’s identity, institutional affiliation, or reputation.

4. Reviewer Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers assess manuscripts based on:

Each manuscript is assessed according to a comprehensive set of scholarly standards. Reviewers are expected to evaluate the manuscript based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance to the journal’s focus, scope, and target audience;

  • Originality and contribution to the field of educational technology and vocational education;

  • Scientific rigor and clarity of the research design and methods;

  • Accuracy and appropriateness of data analysis and interpretation;

  • Soundness of conclusions, and their consistency with the data presented;

  • Quality of writing, logical flow, and clarity of presentation;

  • Proper use of references, especially adherence to the IEEE referencing style.

5. Timeframe and Review Schedule

Reviewers are requested to complete their evaluations within three (3) weeks of accepting the review invitation. If a reviewer foresees any delays or constraints, they are expected to communicate this with the editorial office at the earliest opportunity. The average timeline for the complete peer review process— from initial submission to editorial decision — typically ranges from 5 to 8 weeks, depending on the speed of reviewer responses and the extent of revisions required.

6. Plagiarism Screening

To uphold academic integrity, all manuscripts are subject to plagiarism detection using tools such as Turnitin or similar. Manuscripts that exhibit a similarity score above 25% are flagged for editorial review. Depending on the nature and severity of the overlap, the editorial team may request revisions, issue a warning, or reject the manuscript outright.

7. Editorial Decision-Making

Once the reviewers have submitted their evaluations, the editorial board will carefully consider their feedback and recommendations. Based on this review, the editor will make one of the following decisions:

Accept submission without revision

Accept with minor revisions

Request major revisions

Reject the manuscript

Authors will receive detailed reviewer comments and are expected to revise accordingly. The final decision remains the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the Editorial Board.

8. Confidentiality and Ethics

All manuscripts submitted to this journal are treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or disclose any information about the manuscript outside of the peer review process. They must also abstain from using any data, ideas, or findings from the manuscript in their own work until it is officially published.

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Peer Review Policy