Publishing in Q1-Q2 journals is prestigious, but at the same time laborious and complex. Scientific journals in these quartiles have strict standards and requirements for scientific materials. For this reason, it is important for authors to understand the specifics of peer review in such journals so that, in the event of receiving corrections from reviewers, they can revise the article qualitatively and avoid a second round of peer review. In this article, you will learn how to avoid an additional round of review.
What are Q1-Q2 journals?
- Q1 journals are scientific journals that are among the top 25% of the best scientific journals in their field.
- Q2 journals are scientific journals that occupy the next 25% in the ranking of the best journals in their field.
Publishing in these journals offers many advantages, such as increased visibility, recognition, grants, new career opportunities, and more. Therefore, the level of competition in Q1-Q2 journals is extremely high.
What is peer review?
Peer review is a comprehensive, independent process of evaluating and analysing material prior to publication in a journal. It determines whether an article meets the journal's requirements and helps to make a decision: rejection for publication; revision in accordance with the reviewer's recommendations; acceptance of the article and publication.
The author, in turn, has the opportunity to improve their work through recommendations and comments from reviewers. This process takes a long time, as the material must be carefully checked and proofread for compliance with the publication's requirements and scientific standards.
Why is there a second round of peer review?
A second round of peer review is conducted if the researcher has not made the necessary corrections or has made them incorrectly. The purpose of this stage is to check how correctly the authors have taken the reviewer's comments into account. Another reason for re-checking is the need to provide additional materials.
How to avoid a second review stage?
If the reviewer's recommendations are correctly implemented after the first stage of article review, the possibility of avoiding a second round of review increases significantly. We have compiled several recommendations:
- Take all of the reviewer's recommendations into account. If the reviewer comments on the article, it means that it has scientific value but requires further work. After corrections, the article may be accepted for publication, so it is important to follow all the reviewer's recommendations thoroughly.
- Respond promptly to letters from the editorial office. Timely responses to letters from the editorial office will help the author demonstrate interest, responsibility, and willingness to cooperate.
- Be polite and respectful. As an author, you are not obliged to agree with all of the editor's corrections. The reviewer may be wrong on some points, but politeness helps to achieve a favourable decision. If the reviewer has any clarifications or questions, do not enter into conflict with them. It is important to maintain a businesslike tone of communication; if the reviewer has a question, readers may have the same question.
- Follow the journal's requirements. After revising the article, the author may not notice any discrepancies with the journal's standards. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the work fully complies with the journal's requirements.
- Carefully check your work. Before sending the revised version of the article, it is important to double-check it. Some authors, after correcting errors, think that everything has been done, but in practice, it is possible to forget small details or overlook certain points.
Publishing in Q1-Q2 journals is a complex process, as there is high competition for publication and these journals have strict requirements for materials. If you follow all the reviewer's recommendations correctly, you can avoid a second round of review and successfully publish your scientific work.
Need help publishing a scientific article? Scientific Publications will be happy to help you on your way! We will help you select a journal with the required quartile and successfully complete the review process. We will also provide support at every stage, from writing the article to its publication and indexing. Get a free consultation by filling out the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly. Together towards successful publication!
