Peer Review

Peer Review Process

1. Initial Screening (Desk Review)

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial evaluation by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated Section Editor. This stage checks for:

  • Scope Fit: Does the paper align with sustainable engineering principles?

  • Plagiarism: A mandatory check using Turnitin/iThenticate (similarity index must be below  20%).

  • Basic Quality: Adherence to author guidelines, language clarity, and technical completeness.

  • Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria will be rejected or returned for corrections before being sent for review.

2. Review Policy: Double-Blind Peer Review

GSO employs a double-blind review process. This means:

  • The reviewers do not know the identity of the authors.

  • The authors do not know the identity of the reviewers.

  • Authors must ensure their uploaded "Main Manuscript" file is anonymized (no names or affiliations in the text/properties).

3. Reviewer Selection

Manuscripts passing the initial screening are sent to at least two independent experts in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise, publication record, and lack of conflict of interest with the authors.

4. Review Criteria

Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on:

  • Originality: Does the work provide a new contribution to the field?

  • Methodological Rigor: Is the engineering approach sound and reproducible?

  • Sustainability Impact: Does the research clearly address sustainability (e.g., efficiency, environmental impact, circularity)?

  • Clarity: Is the manuscript well-organized and the English proficient?

5. Decision Categories

Based on the reviewers' recommendations, the Editor will make one of the following decisions:

  1. Accept: The paper is ready for publication.

  2. Minor Revision: The paper is accepted pending small changes (usually within 1–2 weeks).

  3. Major Revision: The paper requires significant changes and will likely undergo a second round of review.

  4. Reject: The paper is not suitable for publication in JSE.

6. Final Decision

The Editor-in-Chief holds the final authority on the acceptance or rejection of any manuscript. The decision is final and not subject to appeal unless a significant error in the review process can be demonstrated.

7. Confidentiality

All materials submitted to GSO are treated as confidential. Reviewers are prohibited from using or sharing the data or ideas from the manuscript prior to publication.