Article Publication Process

AKSEN Journal of Islam and Humanities (AJIH) Published by AKSEN (Akademika Semesta Nusantara)

This document outlines the end-to-end workflow a manuscript follows, from initial submission to final publication.

Overview of Stages

  1. Submission
  2. Editorial Screening
  3. Peer Review
  4. Editorial Decision
  5. Revision
  6. Copyediting and Layout
  7. Author Proofreading
  8. Publication
  9. Post-Publication (Archiving, Indexing, Corrections)

1. Submission

  • Authors submit manuscripts through the journal's online submission system (e.g., OJS), following the Author Guidelines and using the official manuscript template.
  • Required files at submission:
    • Anonymized main manuscript (no author-identifying information)
    • Separate title page (author names, affiliations, ORCID iDs, corresponding author details)
    • Completed submission checklist
    • Signed copyright/licensing agreement (or agreement to terms via the submission system)
  • The system issues an automatic acknowledgment of receipt with a manuscript ID for tracking.

2. Editorial Screening

  • The Managing Editor conducts an initial screening, typically within [board to specify, e.g., 1–2 weeks], checking:
    • Fit with the journal's Focus and Scope
    • Compliance with formatting and template requirements
    • Completeness of required files
    • Similarity/plagiarism check results against the agreed threshold
  • Outcomes at this stage:
    • Passed to review — forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief or a Section Editor for reviewer assignment
    • Desk rejected — returned to the author with a brief explanation (out of scope, insufficient originality, severe formatting non-compliance, or failed similarity check)
    • Returned for revision — minor issues (formatting, missing files, language quality) that must be corrected before review can proceed

3. Peer Review

  • AJIH uses a double-blind peer review process: reviewer and author identities are withheld from one another.
  • The assigned editor invites at least two qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise.
  • Reviewers are given a defined window (e.g., [board to specify, commonly 2–4 weeks]) to submit their evaluation, addressing:
    • Originality and scholarly contribution
    • Soundness of argument, methodology, or textual analysis
    • Engagement with relevant literature and primary sources
    • Clarity of writing and structure
    • Fit with the journal's scope
  • If reviewer recommendations diverge significantly, the editor may invite a third reviewer.
  • Reviewer identities remain confidential; review reports are shared with authors in anonymized form.

4. Editorial Decision

Based on reviewer reports, the handling editor issues one of the following decisions:

  • Accept — manuscript may proceed to production with no or only trivial changes
  • Minor Revision — manuscript is provisionally accepted pending small changes, to be verified by the handling editor without further external review
  • Major Revision — manuscript requires substantial revision and will typically undergo a further round of peer review
  • Reject — manuscript is not accepted for publication, with reasons communicated to the author

Decisions and reviewer comments are communicated to the corresponding author through the submission system.

5. Revision

  • Authors are given a specified period (e.g., [board to specify, commonly 2–4 weeks for minor, 4–6 weeks for major revisions]) to submit a revised manuscript.
  • Revised submissions must include:
    • The revised manuscript file
    • A point-by-point response to reviewer and editor comments
  • Manuscripts under major revision are re-evaluated, either by the original reviewers or the handling editor, before a final decision is made.
  • Failure to resubmit within the specified period (without an agreed extension) may result in the submission being treated as withdrawn.

6. Copyediting and Layout

Once a manuscript is formally accepted:

  • The manuscript undergoes copyediting for language, consistency, citation accuracy (APA 7th edition compliance), and adherence to house style.
  • The Layout Editor typesets the article into the journal's publication template (PDF, and HTML/XML where applicable).
  • A DOI is assigned to the article at this stage (or upon publication, depending on the journal's workflow with its DOI registration agency).

7. Author Proofreading

  • Authors receive a formatted proof (galley) of their article and are given a short window (e.g., [board to specify, commonly 3–5 days]) to review it.
  • At this stage, authors may correct only:
    • Typographical or factual errors
    • Errors introduced during copyediting or layout
  • Substantive changes to content, data, or argument are not permitted at the proofreading stage without editorial approval.
  • Failure to respond within the given window may be taken as approval of the proof as submitted.

8. Publication

  • Approved articles are published in the assigned issue according to the journal's publication schedule (e.g., [board to specify frequency, such as biannual or triannual]).
  • Many journals also offer "early view" or continuous online publication, where accepted and typeset articles are published individually online ahead of formal issue compilation — the board should decide whether AJIH adopts this model.
  • Published articles are made available under the journal's stated open-access license (see Author Guidelines, Section 10) and are permanently archived on the journal website.

9. Post-Publication

  • Archiving: Published articles are deposited in a long-term digital preservation service (e.g., LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, or a national repository) to ensure permanent access.
  • Indexing: Metadata is submitted to relevant indexing and abstracting services (e.g., DOAJ, Sinta, Garuda, Google Scholar) per each service's current requirements.
  • Corrections: Post-publication errors are handled through a formal erratum or corrigendum process; serious integrity issues may result in a retraction, following the journal's publication ethics policy (recommended to follow COPE guidelines).

Estimated Timeline (Indicative Only)

Stage Typical Duration
Editorial screening 1–2 weeks
Peer review (per round) 2–4 weeks
Revision (minor) 2–4 weeks
Revision (major) 4–6 weeks
Copyediting & layout 1–3 weeks
Author proofreading 3–5 days
Total (accept, single review round) ~2–3 months

These figures are illustrative placeholders based on common practice in humanities journals, not fixed commitments — the editorial board should set and publish its own actual turnaround targets.

Notes for the editorial board:

  • All bracketed items above [ ] require the board's actual decisions before this document is published.
  • This process assumes use of an OJS-style submission system; adjust terminology if a different platform is used.
  • Consider pairing this document with a visual flowchart on the journal website for author clarity.