The workflow of editorial process for Journal of Light Industry is detailed as follows:
1. Manuscript Review
Reviewing submissions involves reading, assessing, authenticating, and evaluating them. Manuscript Review is one of the most crucial steps in the editorial process, as it directly impacts both the academic and editorial quality of the journal.
1.1 Preliminary Review
The editor checks submissions for any signs of academic misconduct, and make a preliminary judgment as to whether the manuscript adheres to academic writing standards, whether it has value for publication, and whether it could be sent for peer review. The Managing Editor oversees the preliminary review, which typically lasts around seven working days.
1.2 Peer Review
The editorial department selects two experts (usually holding professional or technical positions at the associate professor level or above) in the relevant field to conduct a double-blind peer review of the manuscript. The experts assess the manuscript from theoretical, practical, economic, social, and ecological perspectives, and then provide detailed feedback suggesting whether the manuscript is acceptable for publication or needs revisions. This review process usually takes about a month.
1.3 Secondary Review
Based on the feedback from the peer reviewers and considering factors such as the journal's aims, professional category, and thematic focus, whether the manuscript is suitable to be retained as a reserve manuscript for the journal will be determined. This review process is conducted by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief or an editor with the title of associate professor or above, typically lasts about a week.
1.4 Final Review
The Editor-in-Chief conducts the final review based on the feedback from both the peer and secondary reviews, as well as the journal's overarching objectives. If necessary, the manuscript will be presented to the editorial board for additional discussion. The final decision on acceptance is made by the Editor-in-Chief. This stage generally takes about one week.
2. Manuscript Rejection or Revision
Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's publication standards are either rejected or returned for revision.
2.1 Manuscripts perceived to lack a solid foundation or deemed of insufficient quality are rejected through the online submission system.
2.2 Manuscripts with a promising foundation but needing further refinement are sent back to the authors for revisions.
2.2.1 Before revision, the editorial department supplies the authors with feedback and suggestions from the reviewers, while ensuring the confidentiality of the reviewers by not disclosing their identities.
2.2.2 Once the manuscript is revised, it is returned to the original reviewers for a re-evaluation. This process will repeat until the manuscript either pass the review or is eventually rejected.
2.3 Appeals of Authors
Authors who disagree with the review comments may file an appeal. Authors are required to draft a "Statement of Appeal", indicating the manuscript number, and send it to our email at qgxb@zzuli.edu.cn. This statement should provide a comprehensive response to the reviewer's comments. For it to be considered, the document needs the endorsement stamp from the author's affiliated institution. The editorial department will then deal with the appeal based on the specifics presented.
3. Finalizing the Manuscript
For manuscripts that have passed the aforementioned review stages, the Executive Editor submits a list of manuscripts intended for the upcoming issue for the Manuscript Finalization Meeting. Based on the publication plan and feedback from reviewers, the Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor-in-Chief select manuscripts designated for publication in the upcoming issue.
4. Editorial Processing
Editorial processing is the core of the journal’s editing activities. It involves creative optimization by the editors to enhance the manuscript, making the theme clearer, the content more robust, the structure more refined, and correcting errors. This process ensures scientific accuracy, consistency, and readability.
4.1 The Managing Editor is responsible for fulfilling all professional editorial duties outlined in the department's "Editorial Guidelines" and conducts preliminary editing of the English sections of manuscripts.
4.2 The English Language Editor is in charge of reviewing and amending the English abstracts and keywords for each manuscript, ensuring accuracy in all English-related content for the issue.
4.3 The Executive Editor holds full responsibility for the editorial work on all manuscripts before they are submitted to the Editor-in-Chief for ultimate approval and publication.
4.3.1 The Executive Editor is responsible for correcting any oversights or inappropriate elements from the Managing Editor's work. Should there be significant mistakes, the manuscript is returned to the Managing Editor for further adjustments. Minor issues are directly corrected by the Executive Editor.
4.3.2 The Executive Editor prepares the bilingual (Chinese and English) table of contents for the upcoming issue and the cumulative contents for the year (volume).
4.3.3 The Executive Editor also complete all layout design for the issue, including headers, margins, fonts (for both Chinese and English), image and text formatting, page transitions, as well as the design of the cover, inside front cover, inside back cover, and back cover (including the copyright page).
4.3.4 The Executive Editor is responsible for coordinating with typesetting and printing team to ensure the timely publication of the upcoming issue.
4.4 The Deputy Editor-in-Chief reviews the content and layout of the issue after the Executive Editor's work. If there are significant errors, the issue is sent back to the Executive Editor for re-editing; minor errors are corrected directly by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief.
4.5 The Editor-in-Chief conducts the final check of the issue. Once confirmed error-free, the Editor-in-Chief (or the Deputy Editor-in-Chief on behalf) signs off on the issue for publication.
5. Typesetting
Under the guidance and supervision of the journal's editorial department, the typesetting team implements the academic concepts of the authors and the editorial team's vision in the layout design. Throughout this process, the Executive Editor for the issue is responsible for overseeing and directing the typesetting team. The typeset proofs must fully reflect the editorial team's intentions and the layout design of the issue.
6. Proofreading
Proofreading is a critical step in realizing the editorial intent and ensuring the academic quality, editorial accuracy, and publishing standards of the journal. All members of the editorial department must give this task their full attention and effort.
6.1 The journal follows a "3-3 proofreading system", meaning each issue is proofread a minimum of three times. The first round of proofreading lasts 8-10 days, the second round 6-8 days, and the final round 5 days.
6.2 Each individual involved in a round of proofreading is fully responsible for that stage of the process. The majority of errors should be corrected during the first proofreading, while subsequent rounds should address any remaining oversights. This ensures that errors are progressively reduced to meet national standards.
6.3 In addition to comparing the proofs with the original manuscript, the Managing Editor must further refine the manuscripts within their editorial scope. They should conduct detailed proofreading to ensure consistency in style across the entire publication.
6.4 The final proofs of the current issue are reviewed by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief and thoroughly read by the Editor-in-Chief. After a comprehensive review and signature approval, the issue proceeds to plate-making and printing.
7. Printing
The printing house is responsible for arranging the printing of the journal according to the required number of copies and paper specifications, ensuring that the journal is published on time.
8.Distribution
8.1 After printing, the journal will be promptly sent to both authors and subscribers.
8.2 Sample copies of the journal will be sent in a timely manner to higher authorities, libraries, or other designated institutions as required.
8.3 The current issue of the journal should be sent to partner universities and research institutes that have an exchange agreement with our university.
8.4 The current issue will be promptly uploaded to the editorial department's website, with electronic version made available to authors, peer reviewers, relevant databases, and others.
9. Archiving
Following the publication of each issue, the Executive Editor is responsible for organizing and archiving all materials, including original manuscripts, signed-off tables of contents, proofs, and peer review comments, to ensure proper preservation.
10.Corrections and Retractions
10.1 The journal may issue corrections for published articles in the following case: If an article is found to contain unintentional scientific errors that do not significantly affect the results or conclusions, the editorial department will promptly publish a correction notice in the journal, detailing the changes made to the original article. The journal will release a corrected version of the article, clearly stating the modifications and indicating the date of the update. Readers are advised to cite the corrected version of the article.
10.2 The journal will consider retracting a published article under the following circumstances: If an article is confirmed to involve plagiarism, falsified research, duplicate publication, or other academic misconduct, the editorial department will retract the article, issue a retraction statement, and notify the author's institution. Additionally, if an article is found to contain serious scientific errors that render the results or conclusions unreliable, the journal will retract the article and issue a retraction statement.
11. Feedback
The editorial department carefully collects, records, organizes, and analyzes feedback from readers about the journal, and monitors the inclusion of the journal's articles in national and international databases, as well as any awards and practical applications of the articles. The editorial department also tracks the social and economic impact of our articles. This information serves as a reference for authors to validate or adjust their research directions, and for the editorial department to refine its publishing strategy, ultimately improving the scientific, editorial, and printing quality of the journal.
12. Special Notes
12.1 Review and Editing of Special Issue Manuscripts: The review and editing process outlined above applies to all manuscripts submitted to our journal. Manuscripts submitted for special issues will undergo the same review and editing process as other submissions, and the final acceptance decision will be made by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for all content of the journal, including special issues.
For special issues, the editorial department invites distinguished experts in the relevant field to serve as Guest Editors. The responsibilities of Guest Editors include, but are not limited to, soliciting manuscripts, organizing peer reviews, and participating in manuscript evaluations. The work of Guest Editors is subject to the supervision of the Editor-in-Chief and editorial department to ensure fairness in the review of manuscripts.
12.2 Submission by Editors/Editorial Board Members/Guest Editors: Manuscripts submitted by the journal's editors, editorial board members, and guest editors are also subject to the journal's review and editorial processes. Peer review is independent of the editor/editorial board member/guest editor. Editors, editorial board members, and guest editors may not participate in the review of manuscripts submitted by themselves, their family members, colleagues, or other authors with whom they have a conflict of interest.
