Peer Review Policy

All submissions to Springer and Discover journals are first reviewed for completeness and only then sent to be assessed by an Editor who will decide whether they are suitable for peer review. Where an Editor is on the author list or has any other competing interest regarding a specific manuscript, another member of the Editorial Board will be assigned to oversee peer review. Editors will consider the peer-reviewed reports when making a decision, but are not bound by the opinions or recommendations therein. A concern raised by a single peer reviewer or the Editor themself may result in the manuscript being rejected. Authors receive peer review reports with the editorial decision on their manuscript.

Proceedings papers are reviewed by the Programme Chairs and Programme Committee members of the respective conference, with help from external reviewers selected by them.

Once a manuscript is sent for peer review, it is typically evaluated by independent experts in the relevant field. These reviewers provide constructive, confidential reports addressing the quality, novelty, methodology, and overall contribution of the work. Editors carefully consider these reports when making a final decision; however, the editorial decision is not solely determined by reviewer recommendations. A serious concern raised by even a single reviewer, or by the Editor themself, may be sufficient grounds for rejection if the concern significantly affects the integrity or validity of the research.

Following the review process, authors are provided with the reviewers’ reports alongside the editorial decision. This ensures transparency and allows authors to address reviewers’ comments in cases where revisions are requested.

For conference proceedings papers, peer review is managed by the Programme Chairs and Programme Committee members of the respective conference. They may also enlist the assistance of external reviewers with specialized expertise to ensure comprehensive and rigorous evaluation. The review standards for proceedings are aligned with those of the journal, with the primary aim of ensuring academic quality, clarity, and relevance to the conference themes.

Overall, this policy is designed to uphold the highest standards of scholarly publishing by ensuring that only high-quality, original, and ethically sound manuscripts are accepted for publication.