Manuscripts go through various steps in the submission and review process.
Submission
Manuscripts are first processed by the Managing Editor and checked for plagiarism using iThenticate. They are next reviewed by three "sets of eyes": (1) the Reviewing Editor, (2) the Editor-in-Chief, and (3) the assigned Area or Consulting Editor.
Each of these three editors is tasked with ensuring that the submission meets minimum JIBP norms for fit, quality, and contribution (as outlined in the JIBP Statement of Editorial Policy). If any of these editors finds the paper is not appropriate for JIBP, he or she will desk reject the paper before it is sent out for review.
Authors of desk rejected manuscripts will receive a letter with feedback on the decision and, where appropriate, with suggestions for further development of the manuscript. Authors may resubmit desk rejected manuscripts to JIBP if they have substantially revised the paper to address the concerns raised in the desk rejection letter.
You may nominate an Editor for your manuscript (see the Editorial Team page for the research interests of each Area Editor and ensure there is no conflict of interest as described in the JIBP Code of Ethics). The Editor-in-Chief will make the final selection of the Editor for your manuscript, taking into account your preferences and the workload of the Editors. On occasion the research in question may not match the interests of any Editor. The Editor-in-Chief will then invite a member of the Consulting Editors Board (CEB) to process the paper.
You may also nominate possible reviewers for your manuscript, to a maximum of four. Please select these reviewers from the JIBP Editorial Review Board (ERB). In making any suggestions, make sure to follow the JIBP Code of Ethics (for example, reviewers must not have previously provided comments on the manuscript, teach at your institution, or be co-authors on other manuscripts in the last three years). JIBP follows a double-blind review process, which authors are expected to follow.
While contributions must be in English, we welcome manuscripts from authors whose first language is not English. Manuscripts must be formatted according to the JIBP Style Guide. Authors of poorly worded manuscripts are encouraged to seek professional editing assistance prior to submission, the absence of which may lead to the paper being desk rejected.
Review process
For manuscripts that pass the desk rejection stage, the Area or Consulting Editor that is chosen to handle your paper will assign two to three expert reviewers from the journal’s Editorial Review Board, and occasionally from the Consulting Editor Board or other qualified reviewers. JIBP follows a double-blind review process, whereby reviewers do not know the identity of the authors, and authors do not know the identity of reviewers. Authors should avoid specific references to themselves or to their own work in the manuscript to ensure the double-blind review process.
Editors ask reviewers to evaluate submissions based on the following scalar evaluation section. We encourage prospective authors to look at these evaluation questions prior to submission as they may be helpful in writing or positioning their articles; for submitted papers these reviewer ratings are confidential, shared only with the JIBP Area Editor and not the authors of the submission. The review process varies in length, but typically, we aim to provide a decision on the manuscript with constructive and developmental feedback to authors within approximately three months.
When authors are asked to revise and resubmit a manuscript, they are typically asked to complete their revisions within one to three months depending on the scope of the requested revisions. Should authors need more time for the revisions, they should contact the Area Editor who handles the manuscript or the Managing Editor regarding any extensions.
When authors resubmit their revised manuscript, they are asked to enclose a separate point-by-point reply to the editorial letter and to the reviewers’ comments. Authors will be notified via email if their paper is approaching this deadline. Typically, manuscripts will be revised two or more times before acceptance.
Once an Area Editor conditionally accepts a manuscript, it will be sent for consideration to the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief may provide further comments and input for the development of the manuscript. He may also send the manuscript to a member of JIBP’s Policy Advisory Committee for comments of the article’s policy recommendations.
Publication
Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, it will be passed for production to Palgrave. To enable the Publisher to protect the copyright of the journal, authors must assign copyright in their manuscripts to the Publisher. All accepted manuscripts must be accompanied by a statement signed by all authors that the article is original, is not under consideration by another journal, has not previously been published elsewhere, and its content has not been anticipated by a previous publication. The corresponding author may sign on behalf of all co-authors.
Once the manuscript has been copy edited by Palgrave, the corresponding author of an accepted manuscript will receive an email containing a link to an online .pdf proof of the article. Please print a copy of the .pdf proof, correct the proof within 48 hours and return as directed. Please make no revisions to the final, edited text, except where the copy editor has requested clarification since such changes can rapidly increase production costs and time.
JIBP operates an advance, online publication system, whereby final, corrected papers are published on www.jibp.net every week. These papers will be available in advance of print publication. Papers can be cited using the article's Digital Object Identifier (DOI). See the JIBP Style Guide for details of how to cite online articles.
Any queries at any point in the process can be directed to the Managing Editor (managing-editor@jibp.net), who will be happy to advise, update or receive feedback.
