Peer Review Policy

Peer Review Policy

Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ)

The Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic quality, integrity, fairness, and transparency through a rigorous peer review process.

The journal follows a double-blind peer review system, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process to ensure impartiality and objectivity.

Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial evaluation to assess:

  • Relevance to the journal scope
  • Compliance with submission guidelines
  • Academic quality and originality
  • Ethical considerations
  • Plagiarism screening using similarity detection software

Manuscripts that do not meet the journal requirements may be rejected before peer review.

Double-Blind Peer Review Process

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise relevant to the manuscript topic.

During the review process:

  • Authors do not know the identity of reviewers.
  • Reviewers do not know the identity of authors.
  • Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and confidential evaluations.

Reviewer Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

  • Scientific originality and significance
  • Relevance to holistic nursing and healthcare
  • Methodological rigor and validity
  • Ethical compliance
  • Clarity and organization of the manuscript
  • Accuracy of results and conclusions
  • Quality of references and supporting literature

Reviewer Recommendations

Reviewers may recommend one of the following decisions:

  • Accept without Revision
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Resubmit for Review
  • Reject

The final publication decision is made by the editorial office based on reviewer comments and editorial evaluation.

Revision Process

Authors may be requested to revise their manuscripts according to reviewer and editor comments.

Revised manuscripts should be accompanied by a detailed response letter explaining how each comment has been addressed.

Additional rounds of peer review may be conducted when necessary.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts and review materials are treated as confidential documents. Reviewers and editors must not disclose, distribute, or use unpublished content for personal or professional purposes.

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to provide an impartial evaluation.

Individuals with conflicts of interest may be excluded from the review process.

Ethical Standards

The Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ) follows the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure ethical peer review and responsible scholarly publishing.

Editorial Decision

The editorial office reserves the right to make the final decision regarding manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection based on scientific merit, ethical standards, reviewer recommendations, and journal priorities.

Commitment to Quality

The journal is dedicated to ensuring that all published articles meet high standards of scientific quality, ethical integrity, and professional academic publishing.