Workflow

This workflow is designed to provide complete transparency and clarity regarding the editorial, review, and publication process at Datokarama English Education Journal (deejournal). It serves as a unified guideline for Authors, Reviewers, and Editors to understand their responsibilities and the journal’s editorial structure.

1. Manuscript Submission (Author)

• Authors must register and log in to the OJS platform before submitting their manuscript.
• Submitted manuscripts must:
  • Adhere to the Author Guidelines
  • Be free from plagiarism (checked via iThenticate)
  • Fall within the scope of English language education and linguistics

2. Pre-Review Screening (Managing Editor)

• Manuscripts undergo an initial check for:
  • Scope and focus alignment
  • Author guideline compliance
  • Plagiarism (similarity report required)
  • Basic formatting and clarity
• Outcomes of this stage:
  • Desk rejection with notification to author
  • Return to author for technical correction
  • Passed to Editor-in-Chief for assignment

3. Editorial Assignment (Editor-in-Chief)

• The EiC reviews the manuscript and assigns it to a Section Editor based on thematic expertise.
• In special cases, EiC may handle the manuscript directly (e.g., conflict of interest).

4. Initial Editorial Review (Section Editor)

• The Section Editor evaluates the manuscript for:
  • Scholarly merit
  • Language quality
  • Methodological soundness
• The Editor may:
  • Request initial revision from the author
  • Proceed directly to peer review
  • Recommend rejection with justification

5. Reviewer Selection and Invitation (Section Editor)

• Two or more expert reviewers are invited to evaluate the manuscript.
• Reviewers must respond to the invitation within 7 days.
• If declined or no response, alternatives will be invited.

6. Double-Blind Peer Review (Reviewer)

• Reviewers are required to:
  • Maintain confidentiality and impartiality
  • Use the official Review Form provided by the journal
  • Annotate the manuscript file with specific feedback, suggestions, and critique
• Reviews must be completed within 2–4 weeks.
• Review outcome options:
  • Accept
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Reject

7. Editorial Decision (Section Editor / Editor-in-Chief)

• The Section Editor analyzes reviewer reports and makes a recommendation to the EiC.
• The EiC issues the decision:
  • Accepted: directly forwarded to production
  • Minor/Major Revision: returned to the author with comments
  • Rejected: decision letter issued with explanation

8. Author Revision (Author)

• Authors must revise the manuscript based on:
  • Reviewers’ comments
  • Reviewer’s annotations and notes
• The revised manuscript must be resubmitted within the given timeframe.
• Authors must include a Response to Reviewers document addressing each point.

9. Re-Review (Optional, Reviewer / Editor)

• For major revisions, editors may resend the manuscript to the original reviewers.
• Otherwise, the Section Editor makes a final recommendation based on the revision.

10. Final Acceptance (Editor-in-Chief / Section Editor)

• If all requirements are met, the manuscript is formally accepted.
• The final decision is communicated to the author via the system.

11. Production Stage (Managing Editor / Production Editor)

• Accepted manuscripts undergo:
  • Professional copyediting
  • Proofreading
  • Layout formatting for publication
• Authors will receive a final proof version for minor corrections before publication.

12. Publication

• The article is published online and assigned a DOI.
• Authors receive notification and the article appears in the next scheduled issue.

Roles at a Glance

Ethical and Professional Standards

deeJournal adheres strictly to the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Editors, Authors, and Reviewers. All stages of the publication process are handled confidentially, fairly, and without conflict of interest.

For more information, see: Publication Ethics | Reviewer Guidelines | Editor Guidelines | Author Guidelines