Peer Review Process

International Transactions on Artificial Intelligence (ITALIC) is committed to maintaining high standards of academic quality, originality, and research integrity through a rigorous and transparent peer-review process. All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening followed by a double-blind peer-review process. The identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other throughout the review process to support an objective, fair, and independent evaluation of every manuscript.

1. Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission, each manuscript is evaluated by the editorial team to determine its suitability for publication in ITALIC. The initial screening examines the manuscript's relevance to the journal's aims and scope, compliance with the author guidelines and manuscript template, completeness of the submission, and general academic quality. Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's basic requirements or fall outside its scope may be returned to the authors for improvement or rejected before external peer review.

2. Plagiarism and Originality Screening

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening may undergo plagiarism and similarity screening to identify potential overlap with previously published works. The editorial team evaluates the similarity results in context, considering the originality of the research, appropriate attribution of sources, and compliance with publication ethics. A similarity score alone does not automatically determine whether a manuscript is acceptable or unacceptable. Manuscripts containing substantial unattributed overlap or other evidence of academic misconduct may be returned to the authors or rejected in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

3. Reviewer Assignment

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to three independent reviewers selected by the Editor according to their expertise and research backgrounds relevant to the submitted manuscript. ITALIC applies a double-blind peer-review policy, under which the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other. Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and inform the Editor if they lack the expertise or availability required to complete the review.

4. Review Criteria

Reviewers assess manuscripts objectively and provide constructive recommendations based on the following criteria:

  1. Originality and novelty of the research contribution.
  2. Relevance to the aims and scope of ITALIC.
  3. Scientific quality and clarity of the research objectives.
  4. Appropriateness and rigor of the research methodology.
  5. Validity of the analysis, results, and conclusions.
  6. Quality of the discussion and contribution to existing knowledge.
  7. Clarity of presentation, organization, and academic writing.
  8. Appropriate use and acknowledgment of relevant references.

5. Editorial Decision

After considering the reviewers' reports, the Editor makes an editorial decision based on the scientific merit of the manuscript, the reviewers' recommendations, and the journal's publication standards. The possible decisions are:

  1. Accept: The manuscript meets the journal's requirements and can proceed to the publication preparation stage.
  2. Minor Revision: The manuscript requires limited corrections or clarification before a final decision can be made.
  3. Major Revision: The manuscript requires substantial improvements to its methodology, analysis, discussion, or presentation.
  4. Reject: The manuscript does not meet the journal's academic, methodological, ethical, or scope requirements.

The final decision rests with the Editor. When necessary, the Editor may request an additional review or consult a subject-matter or statistical expert to evaluate specific aspects of the manuscript.

6. Revision and Resubmission

Authors whose manuscripts require revision must carefully address the reviewers' comments and the Editor's instructions. A revised manuscript should be accompanied by a point-by-point response explaining how each comment has been addressed. If a suggestion cannot be implemented, the authors should provide a clear academic justification. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation when necessary. Submission of a revised manuscript does not guarantee acceptance.

7. Final Decision and Publication

Following the evaluation of any required revisions, the Editor determines whether the manuscript is suitable for acceptance. Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, typesetting, proofreading, and final publication preparation. Authors may be asked to verify the final proofs to ensure the accuracy of the article's text, figures, tables, author information, and references. Accepted articles are scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue according to the journal's publication schedule.

8. Confidentiality and Ethical Standards

All manuscripts and review reports are treated as confidential throughout the editorial and peer-review process. Editors, reviewers, and editorial staff must not disclose unpublished manuscript information to unauthorized parties or use unpublished material for personal or professional advantage. Reviewers are expected to provide impartial, evidence-based, and constructive assessments without personal criticism. Any suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, research misconduct, or undisclosed conflict of interest must be reported to the Editor for appropriate action in accordance with ITALIC's publication ethics policies.