Review Procedure

Editorial Process

The editorial process of the Journal of Human Care and Occupation (RCOH) consists of three stages: initial screening, peer review, and editorial decision and publication. Each stage is designed to ensure scientific quality, transparency, and compliance with the ethical principles governing scholarly publishing.

1. Initial Screening

Upon receipt of a manuscript, the Editorial Committee verifies compliance with the journal's Author Guidelines. During this stage, a manuscript may be rejected for any of the following reasons:

  • The manuscript falls outside the journal's scope or research areas.
  • The similarity index exceeds the acceptable threshold according to the verification performed using Turnitin.
  • The manuscript does not comply with the journal's formatting, submission, or preparation requirements.
  • The manuscript does not demonstrate sufficient scientific quality, originality, or academic relevance.

Manuscripts meeting these requirements will proceed to the peer-review stage.

Publication Ethics

The Journal follows the recommendations and Core Practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). If the manuscript is considered suitable after the editorial screening, it proceeds to the peer-review process.

2. Peer Review

The journal follows a double-blind peer-review system, ensuring the anonymity of both authors and reviewers. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two external reviewers with expertise in the corresponding subject area. If both reviewers recommend rejection or if one reviewer fails to respond within approximately fifteen (15) days, the Editorial Committee may appoint a third reviewer.

Assignment of Manuscripts

The Editorial Assistant sends the manuscript and the official evaluation form to the reviewers, specifying the deadline for submitting their recommendations.

Possible Review Outcomes

  • Accepted without revisions. The manuscript proceeds to final editorial approval.
  • Accepted with revisions. The corresponding author must address the reviewers' comments and submit a revised version of the manuscript.
  • Rejected. Two negative evaluations result in rejection of the manuscript. The corresponding author will receive the reviewers' reports.
  • Conflicting recommendations. If one reviewer recommends acceptance and another recommends rejection, the manuscript will be assigned to a third reviewer whose evaluation will support the final editorial decision.

Double-Blind Review System

All manuscripts are evaluated confidentially by external reviewers while preserving the anonymity of both authors and reviewers throughout the entire review process. Any disputes arising during the evaluation are resolved by the Editorial Committee.

3. Editorial Decision

Once the peer-review reports have been received, the Editor communicates the editorial decision to the corresponding author.

If revisions are required, authors must submit the revised manuscript within a maximum period of 15 calendar days, together with a detailed response letter explaining how each reviewer comment has been addressed.

Final Review and Publication

After final acceptance, the manuscript enters the stages of copyediting, layout editing, proof review, and publication on the journal's editorial platform. This process may take up to one month, depending on the editorial workflow and the publication schedule.

Authors' Responsibilities

Authors are expected to respond promptly to all editorial communications throughout the publication process. Failure to do so may result in delays or cancellation of the publication process. Authors are also expected to prepare manuscripts that are clearly written, logically organized, grammatically accurate, and fully compliant with the journal's editorial guidelines.