Purpose and Scope

The RSYN Peer Review Policy defines the principles, procedures, and ethical standards governing the evaluation of scholarly submissions handled by RSYN-managed journals, edited books, conference proceedings, and related academic publications.

This policy applies to original research articles, review papers, book chapters, conference papers, and special issue contributions.

Core Principles of Peer Review

RSYN is committed to the following principles:

  • Academic Integrity: Evaluation based solely on scholarly merit and originality.
  • Impartiality and Fairness: No discrimination based on nationality, institution, gender, or seniority.
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts and review reports are treated as confidential.
  • Transparency: Editorial decisions are supported by documented reviewer reports.
  • Ethical Oversight: Compliance with accepted research and publication ethics.

Peer Review Model

RSYN applies differentiated peer review workflows depending on the publication format.

Journals

RSYN journals follow a double-blind peer review model by default:

  • Author identities are concealed from reviewers.
  • Reviewer identities are concealed from authors.

Each manuscript is normally evaluated by two or more independent external reviewers.

Edited Books and Edited Volumes

Edited books follow a chapter-level peer review model:

  • Each chapter is reviewed independently.
  • Review may be double-blind or single-blind, depending on volume design.
  • Volume Editors act as Handling Editors under RSYN oversight.

Acceptance of a chapter does not guarantee acceptance of the entire volume.

Manuscript Submission and Initial Screening

Editorial Screening

All submissions undergo an initial editorial assessment to verify:

  • Scope relevance
  • Compliance with submission guidelines
  • Completeness of metadata and declarations
  • Baseline academic and language quality

Submissions may be desk-rejected without external review.

Plagiarism and Similarity Check

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection tools. Unacceptable similarity or unethical overlap may result in rejection.

AI-Assisted Screening (Pre-Review)

RSYN may use AI-assisted tools to support screening, including:

  • Text similarity detection
  • Language and readability checks
  • Reference completeness verification
  • Identification of potential ethical anomalies

AI tools are decision-support only and do not replace human judgment.

Reviewer Selection and Responsibilities

Reviewer Selection

Reviewers are selected based on expertise, research record, and absence of conflicts of interest.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must provide objective feedback, maintain confidentiality, and disclose conflicts of interest.

Review Criteria

Submissions are evaluated based on originality, relevance, methodological rigor, clarity, references, and ethical compliance.

Editorial Decision-Making

Decisions include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection. Editors retain final authority.

Revision and Re-Review

Authors must submit revised manuscripts with a detailed response to reviewer comments.

Ethical Considerations

Conflicts of Interest

Editors and reviewers must recuse themselves where conflicts exist.

Research Ethics

Ethical approvals and consent statements are mandatory where applicable.

Use of AI by Authors

Use of AI tools must be disclosed. AI systems may not be listed as authors.

AI-Assisted Editorial and Review Processes

Editors and reviewers may use AI for limited support tasks. Scholarly responsibility remains with humans.

Misconduct Handling

Misconduct is handled according to COPE guidelines, including possible rejection or retraction.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors may submit appeals, which are reviewed independently.

Reviewer Recognition

RSYN recognizes reviewers through certificates and acknowledgements while preserving anonymity.

Policy Review and Updates

This policy is periodically reviewed to ensure compliance with best practices and indexing requirements.

Contact Information

Queries should be directed to the RSYN Editorial Office via official communication channels.

Note: This policy may be updated at any time without prior notice. `