Peer Review Statement

Peer Review Statement
Proceedings of the international conference of contemporary affairs in architecture and urbanism-ICCAUA

The ICCAUA Proceedings is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of scholarly publishing. Our rigorous, transparent, and ethically grounded peer-review process ensures the quality, credibility, and integrity of every manuscript we publish. This statement details the procedures, responsibilities, and ethical expectations that govern peer review in our journal.

 

» Type of Peer Review – Double-Blind
All research articles undergo external double-blind peer review: authors remain anonymous to reviewers and vice-versa. This anonymity minimises bias, fosters impartiality, and promotes objective assessment.

 

» Peer-Review Process

  1. Submission – Authors upload manuscripts via our online submission system. The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) conducts an initial suitability screening.
  2. Initial Screening – Suitable manuscripts are assigned to a Section Editor (SE) through the Section Co-ordinators. Where a submission is clearly out of scope or fails to meet basic quality thresholds, it is declined at this stage.
  3. Reviewer Invitation –
    • The SE selects two or more independent experts based on subject expertise, methodological rigour, and an absence of conflicts of interest.
    • Reviewers commit to the ICCAUA Proceedings Reviewers’ Code of Conduct before accepting the invitation.
  4. Review –
    • Reviewers independently evaluate the manuscript, providing detailed, constructive feedback.
    • Where workload or specialist input necessitates, the SE may appoint additional reviewers.
  5. Editorial Decision – Drawing on reviewer reports and the SE’s recommendation, the EiC issues one of four decisions:
    • Accept – The manuscript proceeds to production; an acceptance letter is issued.
    • Minor/Major Revisions – The authors receive consolidated comments and a deadline (normally 8 weeks) for resubmission.
    • Resubmit for Fresh Review – Substantial changes required; the revised manuscript will undergo a further review round.
    • Reject – A reasoned decision letter is provided; the manuscript is archived.
  6. Conflict Resolution – If reviewer opinions diverge markedly, the EiC may appoint an additional reviewer or consult the Editorial Board to reach a fair decision.
  7. Copy-editing – Accepted manuscripts undergo copy-editing to ensure adherence to ICCAUA Proceedings style, British English spelling, and referencing standards.
  8. Layout & Typesetting – The Layout Editor formats the article (PDF/HTML) and embeds persistent identifiers (DOI, ORCID, etc.).
  9. Proofreading – Authors receive page proofs for final checks; only typographical or production errors may be corrected at this stage.
  10. Publication – Articles are published Online First, indexed, and assigned to the relevant conference volume and issue.

 

» Reviewer Selection and Responsibilities
Reviewers are chosen for their scholarly expertise, methodological competence, and ethical standing. They must:

  • declare all potential conflicts of interest;
  • conduct the review promptly and confidentially;
  • provide balanced, evidence-based critiques, including clear recommendations;
  • alert the SE to suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical concerns.

Failure to meet these responsibilities may lead to removal from our reviewer pool.

 

» Review Timeline
The standard review cycle is 8 weeks from reviewer invitation to first decision. Extensions may be granted in exceptional circumstances; reviewers should notify the SE promptly if delays arise.

 

» Revision and Resubmission
Authors have up to 8-12 weeks to address reviewer comments. Resubmissions must include:

  • a point-by-point response letter detailing how each comment has been addressed or rebutted;
  • a version of the manuscript with changes tracked.

Depending on the extent of revisions, the SE may send the manuscript to the original or new reviewers for confirmation that concerns have been satisfactorily resolved.

 

» Confidentiality
Manuscripts and reviewer reports are confidential. Information must not be shared or used for personal advantage. Breaches of confidentiality will be investigated and may lead to sanctions.

 

» Ethical Framework
ICCAUA Proceedings subscribes to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA). All participants in the publication process are expected to uphold:

  • integrity of the scholarly record;
  • transparency and disclosure of competing interests;
  • respect for intellectual property and copyright;
  • compliance with research ethics (e.g., human subjects, data protection).

Allegations of misconduct—plagiarism, redundant publication, data manipulation, or undisclosed conflicts—will be handled in accordance with COPE flowcharts and may result in rejection, retraction, or notification of institutional authorities.

 

» Right to Appeal
Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a reasoned request to the EiC within 30 days of notification. Appeals are reviewed by an independent member of the Editorial Board whose decision is final.

 

» Post-Publication Matters
The journal welcomes post-publication commentary and will publish corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when warranted. All such actions follow COPE guidance to ensure transparency and the integrity of the scientific record.

 

Effective Date: 11 March 2025
Approved by: Editorial Board, Proceedings of the international conference of contemporary affairs in architecture and urbanism-ICCAUA

This statement will be reviewed annually to ensure alignment with evolving best practice in scholarly publishing.