The Peer Review Process in a Scientific Journal: An Editorial Insight From the University of Phan Thiet Journal of Science

Abstract

Peer review is an important step in the process of publishing scientific research results, as it helps ensure the integrity of a study and the validity and originality of data published in current scientific journals. Recently, there have been an increasing number of retractions of published papers in well-established journals. This leads to a legitimate question about the inherent quality and shortcomings along the publication path. This letter provides a comprehensive overview of this process applied to scientific publications in, among others, leading ISI or Scopus journals. The University of Phan Thiet Journal of Science (UPTJS), from the start of its establishment, has strictly followed the peer review to uphold the high standards of the scientific community. The historical progression of peer review, including single-blind and double-blind procedures, as part of the manuscript’s evaluation is also described. It delves into the roles and responsibilities of several parties involved including authors, reviewers and editors. A flowchart and a table are built to provide readers with an easy-to-follow overview of the workflow and its application to UPTJS. Finally, we emphasize the need for continuous improvement and implementation of optimal methods, in particular the selection of reviewers, to maintain the excellence and trustworthiness of scientific publications.