International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies (IJAHSS)

The International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies (IJAHSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly publishing through a rigorous and transparent peer-review process. All submitted manuscripts are evaluated by at least two independent experts in the relevant field. Reviewers may be members of the Editorial Review Board, volunteer reviewers, or specialists recommended by the Academic Editor during the initial editorial assessment.

Reviewers play a crucial role in ensuring the quality, originality, relevance, and academic integrity of published research. Their recommendations assist the Editorial Team in determining whether a manuscript should be accepted, revised, or rejected.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Upon receiving a review invitation, reviewers are requested to:

Promptly accept or decline the invitation based on the manuscript title and abstract.
Recommend alternative qualified reviewers if they are unable to undertake the review.
Inform the Editorial Office immediately if additional time is required to complete a thorough and constructive review.
Conduct reviews objectively, professionally, and within the agreed timeframe.
Evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit, regardless of the authors’ nationality, gender, institutional affiliation, political beliefs, or personal characteristics.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Reviewers must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest before accepting a review assignment. If there is any uncertainty regarding a possible conflict, reviewers should contact the Editorial Office for guidance.

Potential conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

Employment at the same institution as one or more authors.
Recent academic collaboration or professional association with any author.
Personal relationships, disputes, rivalry, or bias involving the authors.
Financial interests that could be positively or negatively affected by publication of the manuscript.
Political, ideological, religious, academic, intellectual, or commercial interests that may influence objectivity.

Reviewers should decline review assignments where a conflict of interest may compromise their impartiality.

Reviewing a manuscript that has previously been reviewed for another journal does not constitute a conflict of interest. However, reviewers may inform the Editorial Office if they have previously evaluated the same work.

For further guidance, reviewers are encouraged to consult the ethical recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Confidentiality

IJAHSS operates a single-blind peer-review system, where reviewer identities remain anonymous to authors.

Reviewers are expected to:

Treat all manuscript materials as confidential documents.
Not share, discuss, or distribute manuscript content with unauthorized individuals.
Refrain from using unpublished information for personal research or professional advantage.
Avoid revealing their identity within review comments or document metadata.
Obtain permission from the Editorial Office before involving a colleague or junior researcher in the review process.

Confidentiality obligations remain in effect before, during, and after the review process.

Preparing the Review Report

Reviewers are encouraged to provide constructive, objective, and evidence-based feedback that helps authors improve their manuscripts.

When preparing a review report, reviewers should:

Read the entire manuscript carefully, including supplementary materials.
Evaluate the overall quality, originality, significance, and methodological rigor of the study.
Assess the clarity and organization of the manuscript.
Identify strengths and weaknesses in the research design, analysis, interpretation, and presentation.
Provide detailed and actionable comments whenever revisions are recommended.
Maintain a professional and respectful tone throughout the review.

Citation Recommendations

Reviewers should:

Recommend additional references only when they genuinely improve the manuscript.
Avoid unnecessary self-citations or citations intended solely to increase citation metrics.
Refrain from requesting citations to their own work, colleagues’ work, or the journal unless academically justified.

Professional Conduct

Review reports should:

Focus on scholarly content rather than minor language or formatting issues.
Avoid offensive, discriminatory, or derogatory language.
Be fair, balanced, and supported by clear reasoning.

Structure of the Review Report

A high-quality review report should normally include:

Summary of the Manuscript

A brief overview describing:

The purpose of the study.
Main findings or arguments.
Overall contribution to the field.
Major strengths of the manuscript.

Major Comments

Comments addressing:

Originality and significance.
Research design and methodology.
Data collection and analysis.
Interpretation of results.
Theoretical and practical implications.
Ethical considerations.

Minor Comments

Comments regarding:

Clarity of writing.
Organization and structure.
Figures, tables, and illustrations.
Referencing and citation accuracy.
Minor factual corrections.

Where possible, reviewers should reference specific page numbers, sections, tables, or figures.

Evaluation Criteria for Research Articles

Reviewers are encouraged to consider the following questions:

Is the manuscript relevant to the journal’s scope?
Is the research question clearly stated?
Is the manuscript well-organized and logically structured?
Is the methodology appropriate and scientifically sound?
Can the study be replicated based on the information provided?
Are the data analysis methods suitable and clearly explained?
Are figures, tables, and illustrations accurate and informative?
Are references current, relevant, and properly cited?
Do the conclusions accurately reflect the evidence presented?
Have ethical considerations and data availability statements been adequately addressed?

Evaluation Criteria for Review Articles

For review manuscripts, reviewers should assess whether:

The review topic is relevant and significant to the field.
The manuscript provides a comprehensive and balanced overview of existing literature.
Important studies have been adequately included and discussed.
Knowledge gaps and future research directions are clearly identified.
The conclusions are supported by the cited literature.
Tables, figures, and conceptual frameworks add value and clarity.
References are current, relevant, and appropriate.

Reviewer Performance Assessment

Review reports are evaluated by the Academic Editor based on:

Scientific rigor and objectivity.
Constructiveness of feedback.
Timeliness of review completion.
Contribution to improving manuscript quality.

Outstanding reviewers may be recognized through the journal’s annual reviewer recognition program.

How to Become a Reviewer

IJAHSS welcomes applications from qualified researchers and academics who wish to contribute to the peer-review process.

Reviewer Qualifications

Applicants should possess:

Expertise in one or more areas of Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Education, Literature, History, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Cultural Studies, or related disciplines.
A strong record of scholarly publications.
Excellent analytical and communication skills.
Commitment to ethical and professional review practices.

Application Procedure

Researchers interested in joining the IJAHSS Reviewer Panel should send an email expressing their interest to the Managing Editor.

The application should include:

Full name
Academic qualifications
Institutional affiliation
Area(s) of expertise
ORCID ID (if available)
Brief professional biography

Qualified applicants will be added to the reviewer database and invited to review manuscripts that match their expertise.

Reviewer Recognition and Benefits

IJAHSS highly values the contributions of its reviewers and offers several forms of recognition.

Reviewer Benefits

Official Reviewer Certificate upon completion of reviews.
Annual acknowledgment of reviewer contributions on the journal website and in the journal.
Eligibility for editorial board and editorial leadership opportunities.
Reviewer discount vouchers applicable toward future Article Processing Charges (APC), subject to journal policies.
Recognition through academic reviewer platforms such as the Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service (formerly Publons) and ORCID integration.

Outstanding Reviewer Award

To recognize excellence in peer review, IJAHSS annually presents the Outstanding Reviewer Award to reviewers who demonstrate exceptional dedication, professionalism, and review quality.

Selection criteria include:

Number of completed reviews.
Timeliness of submissions.
Quality and depth of review reports.
Contribution to improving manuscript quality.
Commitment to ethical peer-review practices.

Award recipients receive formal recognition from the journal and may be considered for future editorial appointments.

Commitment to Excellence

The International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies sincerely appreciates the invaluable contributions of its reviewers. Through their expertise, dedication, and commitment to scholarly integrity, reviewers help ensure the publication of high-quality research that advances knowledge across the arts, humanities, and social sciences.