Erudexa Publishing

Peer review models (what we use and when)

1. Double-blind peer review (default): Reviewer and author identities are concealed from one another. Authors must remove identifying metadata from the manuscript when double-blind is selected.
2. Single-blind peer review: Reviewer identities are concealed; authors’ names are visible to reviewers. Used when double-blind is impractical for the discipline or when reviewers require author identity to assess specialist methodology.
3. Open peer review (optional): Where journals choose to offer open peer review, reviewer reports and reviewer names (with consent) may be published alongside articles. This is only implemented when clearly stated on the journal card and with the informed consent of reviewers.
4. Editorial review: Short communications, editorials, and certain commissioned pieces may undergo editorial review without external peer review; this will be explicitly stated on the article page.

Each journal’s card will state the peer-review model used for that title and for particular article types.

Editorial roles & responsibilities

• Publisher (Erudexa Publishing): Maintains and publishes this policy, oversees compliance, provides infrastructure (submission systems, DOI minting via Zenodo, archiving), handles appeals and indexing documentation.
• Editor-in-Chief / Co-Founder (journal level): Sets journal scope, final decision on manuscripts, appoints associate editors and editorial board members, monitors review quality and timelines.
• Associate / Handling Editors: Manage peer-review process for assigned submissions, select reviewers, make recommendations, ensure reviewer independence and timely handling.
• Editorial Board: Provides subject expertise, nominates reviewers, advises on strategy. Board membership and affiliations are published with full names, affiliations and ORCIDs when possible.
• Reviewers: Provide timely, fair, constructive and confidential assessments. Must declare conflicts of interest and treat manuscripts as privileged material.
• Editorial Office: Conducts initial checks (scope, format, plagiarism, ethics), communicates decisions, issues invoices for APCs after acceptance, and archives records.

Editors and editorial board members must sign a declaration of duty and conflicts on appointment and adhere to publisher policies.

Reviewer selection, invitation & expectations

• Selection: Reviewers are chosen for subject expertise, publication record, and absence of conflict. Editors consider diversity and avoidance of over-reliance on a small reviewer pool. Suggested reviewers from authors are considered but vetted; authors may also list excluded reviewers with reason.
• Independence checks: Reviewers must not be recent collaborators, close colleagues, or have a familial/financial relationship with any author; editors check for such conflicts and may decline reviewers accordingly.
• Invitation: Invitations state the manuscript title, abstract, deadline, peer-review model, and confidentiality obligations. Typical reviewer turnaround target: 2–4 weeks (varies by discipline).
• Review report: Reviewers use a structured template (confidential recommendations to editor; optional comments for authors). Reports should include (a) summary of work, (b) major strengths, (c) major weaknesses, (d) specific actionable suggestions, (e) recommendation (accept / minor revision / major revision / reject).
• Recognition: Reviewers may opt into a recognition scheme (acknowledgement on journal site, reviewer certificates, or listing via services that track peer-review activity) consistent with reviewer consent and anonymity policies.

Editorial decision process

1. Initial triage: Editorial office evaluates scope, ethics approvals, completeness and plagiarism check. Manuscripts failing triage are returned with explanation.
2. Assignment: Editor assigns the manuscript to a handling editor.
3. Peer review: Handling editor selects at least two independent reviewers for research articles. Timelines and reminders are issued by the editorial office.
4. Recommendations & decision: Based on reviewer reports and editorial judgment, the handling editor recommends a decision to the Editor-in-Chief. Final decisions are recorded and communicated to authors with summary reasons and reviewer comments (redacted as necessary).
5. Revision rounds: Authors address reviewer comments and submit a point-by-point response. Extended or excessive changes at proof stage require approval and may delay publication.
6. Acceptance & production: After final acceptance, the APC process is initiated, DOI is prepared via Zenodo, and archiving deposits are scheduled.

All editorial decisions and review histories are retained for audit for a minimum of five years.

Conflicts of interest & editorial independence

• Declarations: Editors, reviewers and authors must declare relevant financial and non-financial interests. Declarations are recorded and, where relevant, published with the article.
• Handling editor conflicts: If an editor has a conflict with a submitted manuscript (e.g., is an author, collaborator, or close associate), the editor must recuse and an alternative editor will be appointed. Recusal decisions are logged.
• Publisher independence: Editorial decision-making remains the responsibility of the editorial team. Erudexa Publishing provides governance and resources but does not override editorial judgments except in cases of proven misconduct or legal concerns — such interventions are documented and reported.

Misconduct, complaints, corrections & retractions

• Misconduct handling: Suspected plagiarism, data fabrication/falsification, reviewer fraud, or other serious breaches are investigated per the Ethics & Integrity Policy and, where applicable, in line with COPE guidelines. Editors may request raw data, ethics documentation, and institutional investigations.
• Notifications: If misconduct is established, corrective action may include correction, expression of concern, retraction, or removal, each clearly labelled and linked to the original article. Authors and institutions will be notified of findings.
• Complaints: Readers or stakeholders may submit complaints to editorial@erudexapublishing.com. Complaints are acknowledged within 7 business days and investigated with a clear timeline.
• Retraction policy: Retractions are issued when findings are unreliable, ethical breaches are confirmed, or legal issues mandate removal. Retraction statements explain reasons and who is retracting the article.

Cross-reference: See Ethics & Integrity Policy for full details on investigations and sanctions.

Transparency, records & indexer evidence

To support indexing and trust, Erudexa will maintain and publish evidence including:

• Clear, public descriptions of peer review models and editorial procedures (this page).
• A published, up-to-date editorial board with affiliations and ORCID iDs.
• Publicly accessible journal-level information: aims & scope, publication frequency, typical timelines, and contact points.
• Audit trails: decision letters, reviewer reports (retained confidentially or published with consent), and documented appeals/outcomes retained for indexing review.
• Metadata and machine-readable files for every article (DOI via Zenodo, full metadata fields).

These elements form part of our standard application package for DOAJ, Scopus and Web of Science.

Appeals process

Authors may appeal editorial decisions if they can demonstrate procedural error, undisclosed conflict of interest, or present significant new evidence. The appeals process is:

1. Submit appeal in writing to editorial@erudexapublishing.com within 30 days of decision, stating grounds and providing supporting material.
2. Preliminary review by Publisher’s Appeals Board to determine if appeal has substance. Acknowledgement within 7 days.
3. Independent review: If justified, an independent editor (not previously involved) reviews the file and appeals materials. The process may include seeking additional peer reviews.
4. Final outcome: The Appeals Board issues a binding outcome (confirm decision, request further review, or overturn decision). Authors are informed in writing; outcome is logged. Appeals are not grounds for immediate republication without due process.

Confidentiality & data protection

Manuscripts, reviewer identities (unless open review), and correspondence are treated as confidential. Personal data are processed in line with applicable laws; contact editorial@erudexapublishing.com for data protection queries. Editors and reviewers must not share or use unpublished data or ideas from submissions for personal advantage.

Special cases & editorial discretion

• Conflicts of interest declared post-publication: If a conflict surfaces after publication, the publisher and editors will evaluate and publish an appropriate notice.
• Fast-track / expedited review: Available in exceptional cases (e.g., urgent public interest); editors decide on fast-track status and notify authors of potential limitations (e.g., fewer reviewers, condensed timeline).
• Commissioned content: Commissioned articles follow an editorial review process and will be labelled as commissioned.

Record retention & archiving

Erudexa retains submission files, review reports, decision records, and correspondence for a minimum of five years after publication or final decision. Records supporting accepted articles are preserved and metadata deposited with Zenodo, Internet Archive, and SSRN as part of our archiving workflow.

Cross-links to other publisher policies

This policy works together with:

• Ethics & Integrity Policy (misconduct, corrections, retractions)
• Author Instructions (submission workflows and requirements)
• APCs & Waiver Policy (payment and waivers post-acceptance)
• Copyright & Licensing (CC BY 4.0 application)
• Indexing & Archiving (evidence and procedures for indexers)

Responsibilities & contacts

For editorial questions, appeals and compliance documentation:
Editorial Office — Erudexa Publishing
Email: editorial@erudexapublishing.com
Phone: +91 6001635710

For publisher-level policy queries or indexing evidence requests: contact@erudexapublishing.com