Peer Review Process

The Journal of AL-Wataniya Private University (JWPU) applies a peer-review system to ensure the quality of published research and follows COPE principles regarding confidentiality and editorial integrity. All submissions undergo the following steps:

  1. Submission & Registration
    Manuscripts are submitted through the journal system and assigned a tracking number.
  2. Initial Editorial Screening
    The editorial office conducts an initial screening to verify that the manuscript fits the journal’s scope, that all submission information is complete, and that the journal template has been followed. The manuscript is also checked for similarity using Turnitin, and the similarity index must not exceed 20%.
    Manuscripts may be returned for technical corrections or declined if out of scope or below the minimum scientific standard.
  3. Reviewer Assignment
    Each manuscript is sent to at least two expert reviewers. A third reviewer may be invited in case of conflicting reports or highly specialized topics.
  4. Peer Review
    Reviewers provide confidential, objective reports with scientific comments and an editorial recommendation.
  5. Editorial Decision
    Based on reviewers’ reports, the Editor-in-Chief issues one of the following decisions:
    • Accept
    • Minor revisions
    • Major revisions (resubmission)
    • Reject
  6. Revisions & Re-review (if needed)
    Authors must submit a revised version along with a point-by-point response. Major revisions may be sent back to reviewers for re-evaluation.
  7. Final Acceptance & Production
    After final acceptance, manuscripts undergo language/technical editing and formatting prior to publication.

Review Criteria
Review is based on clear criteria including (but not limited to):

  • Originality, novelty, and scientific contribution
  • Clarity of research question/hypothesis and objectives
  • Methodological rigor and validity of analysis/results
  • Quality of presentation, structure, language, and figures/tables
  • Relevance and currency of references and citation accuracy
  • Compliance with research ethics (conflicts of interest, plagiarism, ethical approvals when required)