Peer Review Policy

Nesir: Journal of Literary Studies adopts the principle of double-blind peer review to ensure that scholarly texts are evaluated fairly, independently, and impartially. This process aims to secure content quality and to create an open and sustainable publishing environment receptive to the critical participation of the academic community.

Principle of Double-Blind Peer Review

All research articles submitted to the journal are subject to a double-blind peer review process, where the identities of authors and reviewers remain mutually confidential.

  • Reviewers cannot access any information about the author’s identity, institutional affiliation, or academic background.
  • Authors cannot learn the identity of the reviewers involved in the evaluation.
  • This practice ensures that the review process is conducted solely on the basis of the scholarly content.

Independence and Expertise

Reviewers are selected according to their expertise in the relevant subject area, their publication history, and their independence.

  • Submissions are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers.
  • Reviewers are obliged to decline the review if any conflict of interest may arise.
  • In cases of diverging reviews, a third reviewer may be consulted, or the editorial board may make a decision.

Review Timeline and Ethical Obligations

The standard review period is generally limited to 28 days from the initial invitation. Reviewer feedback must be:

  • Timely,
  • Based on academic justification,
  • Respectful and constructive in tone.

Editors oversee compliance with these ethical and qualitative criteria and intervene when necessary.

Editorial Evaluation Stage

Based on reviewers’ reports, editors make the final decision on the manuscript’s suitability for publication. During the process, reviewers only provide recommendations; final decisions regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection are taken by the editorial board. If necessary, the Editor-in-Chief has the authority to refer the manuscript to a section editor or an additional reviewer.

Publication Process and Review Workflow

Nesir implements a systematic process to assess submissions in terms of scholarly merit, ethics, and formal compliance. This process is a comprehensive review structured around transparency, academic responsibility, and institutional trust.

Preliminary Check

Submitted manuscripts are first assessed by responsible editors for compliance with formatting guidelines, technical suitability, journal scope, and ethical declarations. Submissions with formal deficiencies or those falling outside the scope of the journal may be rejected at this stage or returned to the author for necessary corrections.

Editorial Pre-evaluation

Manuscripts deemed appropriate move to the section editor, who assesses whether the text’s content quality and relevance make it suitable for review. In this stage:

  • The scholarly merit of the submission,
  • Its contribution to the literature,
  • Its coherence and structural integrity are considered.

If the section editor’s assessment is negative, the manuscript is rejected with justification.

Peer Review Process

Manuscripts approved by the section editor are sent to at least two independent reviewers selected by the section editor. In this process:

  • Reviewers evaluate originality, methodology, use of sources, logical coherence, and contribution to the field.
  • Each reviewer submits a detailed evaluation report and a publication recommendation (accept, minor revision, major revision, reject).
  • The standard time allowed for reviewers is 28 days.
  • If necessary, a third reviewer may be consulted.

Revision and Final Decision

Manuscripts requiring revision must be revised by the authors in line with reviewer feedback and resubmitted to the editor. Typically, 7 days are allocated for minor revisions and 28 days for major revisions. If needed, the editor may resubmit the revised manuscript to the reviewers. The final decision is made with the approval of the editorial board.

Proofreading and Preparation for Publication

Accepted manuscripts are subject to a final check for language, references, footnotes, and formal consistency. During this stage, editors may contact the authors again. Once approved, manuscripts are queued for publication in the designated issue and order.

Publication Schedule and Issue Structure

Nesir is published twice a year (April and October). In exceptional cases, special issues may be prepared upon the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The peer review process is scheduled to be completed within 60–90 days.