Decision-Making Process

At ABNJ, we maintain a rigorous, ethical, and transparent editorial process that ensures the publication of high-quality, peer-reviewed research across the biological and environmental sciences. Every manuscript undergoes structured assessment for scientific contribution, methodological rigor, ethical integrity, and alignment with the journal’s scope.

1. Initial Submission Screening

Preliminary Editorial Check
Upon receipt, the editorial team conducts an initial technical review to confirm that the manuscript:

Follows journal formatting guidelines (title page, abstract, references, tables/figures, etc.)
Includes required declarations (authorship contributions, funding, conflict of interest, and ethical compliance)
Passes plagiarism detection using Turnitin or equivalent software

⚠️ Manuscripts with a similarity index >15% may be returned or rejected.

Scope and Relevance Review
The Editor-in-Chief or Section Editor evaluates whether the submission fits ABNJ’s thematic areas (e.g., biodiversity, biotechnology, environmental science) and offers a novel scientific contribution. Manuscripts outside scope may be desk-rejected without peer review.

2. Peer Review Process

Reviewer Assignment
Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to two or more expert reviewers under the double-blind review model—author and reviewer identities remain confidential.

Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers assess manuscripts based on:

Originality and scientific relevance
Clarity of research questions and hypotheses
Appropriateness of methods and data analysis
Ethical rigor and data transparency
Strength of literature review and contextual grounding
Coherence and organization of the manuscript

Reviewer Recommendations
Each reviewer submits a recommendation:

✅ Accept as is
✏️ Minor revisions
???? Major revisions
❌ Reject

3. Editorial Evaluation and Final Decision

Review Consolidation
The Section Editor consolidates reviewer feedback and determines the manuscript’s standing. If reviews are contradictory or inconclusive, an additional review or consultation with the editorial board may occur.

Final Decision
The Editor-in-Chief issues the final decision, choosing from:

Accept
Minor Revisions
Major Revisions
Reject

Authors receive a formal email notification with detailed reviewer comments and next-step instructions.

4. Revisions and Resubmission

Minor Revisions
Authors are typically given 2–3 weeks to revise and resubmit. The revision is reviewed by the handling editor.

Major Revisions
For significant revisions, 4–6 weeks are granted. The manuscript may be sent back to reviewers for re-evaluation.

Resubmission After Rejection
In most cases, rejected manuscripts are not reconsidered. However, if substantial promise is identified, resubmission as a new manuscript may be invited at the editor's discretion.

5. Communication and Appeals

Decision Notification
Authors receive a formal communication containing:

Final decision
Reviewer feedback
Any formatting or compliance instructions for accepted papers

Appeals Process
Authors may appeal by submitting a detailed written justification. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated independent editorial panel. All appeal outcomes are final.

6. Post-Acceptance Workflow

Final Submission Package
After acceptance, authors must submit:

Final, clean manuscript
Author bios and institutional affiliations
High-resolution tables and figures
Signed copyright and licensing agreement

Copyediting and Proof Approval
Manuscripts undergo professional copyediting for clarity, style, and consistency. Authors are sent final proofs for approval prior to publication.

Online Publication
The article is published in the next available issue of ABNJ and made open access under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license—allowing free, non-commercial use with proper attribution.

7. Ethical Oversight

Conflict of Interest Disclosure
All authors, editors, and reviewers must declare any potential conflicts that may bias the submission or review process.

Research Ethics Compliance
For studies involving human or animal subjects, appropriate ethical clearance and consent documentation is required. Submissions lacking such documentation may be rejected.

Data Integrity and Transparency
ABNJ is committed to research integrity. Any concerns regarding fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data will be thoroughly investigated and may lead to correction, retraction, or formal notification of the author's institution.

This editorial framework reinforces ABNJ's mission to publish scientifically sound, ethically responsible, and globally relevant research in the biological sciences.