Editorial Policies

Peer Review

I-JBER operates a double-blind peer review process. Each manuscript that passes initial editorial screening is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. Reviewers do not know the identity of the authors, and authors do not know the identity of the reviewers. Where necessary, the editorial committee may seek an additional expert review. Final decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief on the basis of the reviewers' reports.

Editorial Process

  1. Initial screening – the editorial office checks scope, formatting, completeness, and similarity (plagiarism) before peer review.
  2. Peer review – manuscripts are sent to at least two reviewers.
  3. Decision – accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject.
  4. Revision – authors submit a revised manuscript together with a point-by-point response to reviewers.
  5. Production – accepted articles are copyedited, typeset, proofread by the authors, and published.

Originality and Duplicate Submission

Manuscripts must be original, must not have been published previously, and must not be under consideration by any other journal. Manuscripts with a similarity index above 20% (excluding references) are returned to authors without review.

Authorship

All listed authors must have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the work; drafted or critically revised it; approved the final version; and agreed to be accountable for the work. Changes to authorship after submission require the written agreement of all authors and the approval of the editor.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Large language models and other generative AI tools do not satisfy authorship criteria and cannot be listed as authors. Any use of AI tools in preparing a manuscript, beyond basic language editing, must be disclosed in the Methods or Acknowledgements section. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the content. Reviewers must not upload manuscripts to generative AI tools.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Errors in published articles are corrected through a published correction notice. Articles found to contain serious errors, fabricated or falsified data, plagiarism, or other misconduct may be retracted.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal an editorial decision by writing to the Editor-in-Chief with a detailed justification. Appeals are considered by an editor not involved in the original decision. Complaints about the editorial process should be sent to the journal contact address.

Responsibility for Content

The views and opinions expressed in published articles are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or the publisher.