Peer Review Policy

The International Journal of Social Studies in Sport (IJSSS) applies a double-blind peer review process. The identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process.

Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts are initially evaluated by the editorial team to determine whether they comply with the journal’s aims and scope, ethical principles, submission requirements, and minimum academic standards.

Manuscripts that are outside the journal’s scope, contain serious ethical or methodological concerns, or do not meet basic scholarly standards may be rejected without external peer review.

Peer Review Process

Manuscripts considered suitable for further evaluation are assigned to an editor and sent to at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.

Reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively, constructively, confidentially, and within a reasonable time frame.

The review process considers, where applicable:

  • relevance to the aims and scope of IJSSS

  • originality and scholarly contribution

  • theoretical or conceptual foundation

  • appropriateness of the research design and methodology

  • quality of data collection and analysis

  • clarity of findings and interpretation

  • ethical compliance

  • quality of the discussion and conclusions

  • theoretical, practical, educational, managerial, social, or policy implications

  • accuracy and relevance of references

  • clarity and organization of the manuscript

Reviewers must declare any conflict of interest before accepting a review invitation and must treat manuscripts and related materials as confidential.

Editorial Decisions

Based on reviewer reports and editorial assessment, manuscripts may receive one of the following decisions:

  • Accept

  • Minor Revision

  • Major Revision

  • Reject

Authors may be asked to revise their manuscripts in response to reviewer and editor comments. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers when further evaluation is considered necessary.

Reviewer recommendations are advisory. The final decision regarding publication is made by the Editor-in-Chief or the assigned editor based on academic quality, originality, relevance to the journal, ethical compliance, and reviewer recommendations.

IJSSS is committed to maintaining a fair, impartial, confidential, and academically rigorous peer review process.