Peer Review Policy

1. Overview of Peer Review Process: The peer review process is a cornerstone of the publication process at the Pakistan Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Research (PJAIMR). It ensures the quality, validity, and originality of the research published in the journal. PJAIMR adheres to a double-blind peer review system, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other. This process is intended to ensure unbiased evaluations of submitted manuscripts.

2. Types of Peer Review: PJAIMR follows a double-blind peer review process, which ensures the anonymity of both the authors and reviewers throughout the review process. The key features of this process are as follows:

  • Author Anonymity: The identities of the authors are not revealed to the reviewers.

  • Reviewer Anonymity: The identities of the reviewers are not revealed to the authors.

3. Submission and Initial Evaluation: Once a manuscript is submitted, it undergoes an initial screening by the editorial team to assess its adherence to the journal’s submission guidelines. This includes:

  • Checking for compliance with manuscript formatting and structure requirements.

  • Ensuring that the research is relevant to the scope of the journal.

  • Verifying the originality and novelty of the research, including a plagiarism check.

Manuscripts that do not meet the initial screening criteria will be rejected at this stage.

4. Assignment of Reviewers: Once a manuscript passes the initial screening, the editorial team assigns it to at least two independent reviewers who are experts in the relevant field of artificial intelligence, medical research, or a related discipline. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise, experience, and ability to evaluate the manuscript’s quality. They are chosen from the journal’s pool of qualified reviewers.

  • Reviewers are selected with no conflict of interest.

  • Reviewers are expected to provide constructive feedback on the manuscript’s originality, methodology, results, and conclusions.

5. Reviewer Responsibilities: Reviewers are expected to:

  • Evaluate the manuscript based on its scientific merit, originality, and contribution to the field.

  • Provide clear, well-structured, and unbiased feedback, focusing on the quality of the research, clarity of writing, and validity of conclusions.

  • Suggest improvements for the manuscript, if necessary.

  • Identify any potential ethical issues or misconduct.

  • Recommend whether the manuscript should be accepted, revised, or rejected based on their assessment.

6. Author Revisions: Based on the reviewers’ feedback, the corresponding author will receive a decision notification, which may include one of the following outcomes:

  • Accept: The manuscript is accepted for publication without further revisions.

  • Minor Revisions: The manuscript is accepted pending minor revisions. The authors are given a deadline to address the reviewers' comments.

  • Major Revisions: The manuscript requires significant revisions. The authors must make substantial changes and resubmit the manuscript for further review.

  • Reject: The manuscript is not suitable for publication in the journal.

Authors are expected to revise their manuscripts within the stipulated time frame and provide a detailed response letter explaining how they addressed the reviewers' comments.

7. Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers and authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest prior to participating in the peer review process. A conflict of interest arises when a reviewer or author has a personal or financial relationship that could influence the evaluation of the manuscript. Such conflicts must be declared at the time of review submission.

  • Authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest during manuscript submission.

  • Reviewers must recuse themselves if they have a conflict of interest regarding the manuscript.

8. Ethics and Integrity: PJAIMR adheres to the highest standards of ethical conduct. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to follow ethical guidelines regarding plagiarism, research misconduct, data fabrication, and authorship.

  • Plagiarism Check: All submitted manuscripts undergo a plagiarism check using industry-standard software to ensure originality.

  • Research Ethics: The editorial board requires that all research published in PJAIMR complies with ethical guidelines, including approval from relevant ethics committees and informed consent where applicable.

9. Timeliness of Reviews: PJAIMR aims to provide timely feedback to authors. Reviewers are typically given 2-4 weeks to complete their evaluations. The editorial team ensures that the process is conducted in a timely manner while maintaining high standards of quality. If reviewers are unable to complete the review in time, the editorial team may assign alternative reviewers to avoid unnecessary delays.

10. Transparency and Accountability: PJAIMR strives to ensure transparency throughout the peer review process:

  • Review Outcome: Authors will receive clear feedback on the reviewer’s comments and the final decision.

  • Reviewer Contributions: Reviewer reports may be made available to authors upon request.

  • No Author Intervention: Authors cannot influence the review process or communicate directly with reviewers outside the submission system.

11. Appeals Process: In the event of an author disagreeing with the reviewer’s decision, they may submit a formal appeal to the editorial board. The editorial board will assess the appeal based on its merit, and if necessary, seek further review or reconsideration of the decision.

12. Publication Ethics: PJAIMR follows the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for publication ethics. All participants in the peer review process—authors, reviewers, and editors—must adhere to ethical standards and procedures outlined by COPE, ensuring integrity in publishing practices.

13. Final Decision: The final decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript rests with the Chief Editor and editorial board. This decision will be based on the peer reviewers' feedback, the manuscript's scientific quality, and its relevance to the journal's scope.

14. Reviewer Acknowledgment: Reviewers will be formally acknowledged for their contributions in the journal’s acknowledgments section. PJAIMR recognizes the critical role reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal.