Editorial & Peer Review Policy
The International Journal of Probiotics & Prebiotics (IJPP) publishes work that meets the highest standards of scientific rigor and readability. IJPP operates a double-anonymous peer-review model — identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other.
Peer Review Model
IJPP uses double-anonymous peer review: authors and reviewers do not know each other’s identities. Reviews focus on scientific quality; stylistic issues are addressed during editorial and production stages.
Editorial Workflow (8 Steps)
Scope Check (In-house Editor)
The manuscript is evaluated for relevance to the journal scope. Out-of-scope submissions are declined at this stage.
Initial Editorial Screening
Compliance check against the Instructions for Authors (format, structure, references). May include plagiarism check, statistics sanity check, and organization of results/references. Authors may be asked to revise before peer review. Non-compliant manuscripts are not processed further.
Reviewer Assignment
A minimum of two independent reviewers are invited (target response window: 2–4 weeks). Reviewers assess scientific merit and flag serious issues in writing/presentation.
Focus Content quality, methodology, validity of conclusions.
Decision & Feedback to Author
Reviewers’ recommendations and comments are compiled and communicated to the corresponding author.
Author Revision & Editorial Verification
The in-house editor verifies that reviewer comments are addressed. For major revisions, the paper may be returned to reviewers for re-assessment.
Final Editorial Decision & Copyediting
Upon satisfactory revisions, the manuscript goes to the Editor-in-Chief for the final decision. Accepted manuscripts proceed to professional language editing; authors may be asked to confirm edits.
Typesetting (Galley Proof)
The article is typeset to produce a galley-proof for author review.
Author Proofing & Publication
After author corrections/approval, the article is published online and disseminated to indexing services tracking the journal.
Editorial Decisions
Reasons accompany every decision to guide authors.
Timelines & Communication
- Reviewer reports: target 2–4 weeks from acceptance of invitation.
- Editorial updates: sent after each milestone (decision, revision checks, proofs).
- Author response windows: set in decision letters; extensions considered upon request.
Ethics & Integrity
- Plagiarism screening is performed during editorial checks.
- Human/animal research must include ethics approval and, where applicable, informed consent.
- Authors must declare conflicts of interest and funding sources.
See also: Copyright & Licensing and the Instructions for Authors.
Appeals & Complaints
Authors may appeal decisions by writing to the Editorial Office with a detailed rationale. Appeals are reviewed by a senior editor not involved in the original decision.
Ethical concerns or complaints can be raised confidentially with the Editor-in-Chief.
Data & Materials Availability
Authors are encouraged to make underlying data, materials, and analysis code available in a suitable repository or to provide them upon reasonable request, consistent with ethical and legal constraints.
Ready to submit to IJPP?
Interested in getting your research published with double-anonymous peer review and quick, transparent handling?