Rules of Peer Review

Rules of Correspondence during Peer Review

The integrity of the peer-review process at the Libyan Journal of Dentistry depends on disciplined, confidential, and well-documented correspondence between authors, reviewers, and editors.

7.1  Channels of Correspondence

  • Authors and the journal — All correspondence between authors and the journal passes through the corresponding author and the editorial office. Direct contact between authors and individual editors or reviewers about a manuscript under review is not permitted.
  • Reviewers and the journal — All correspondence between reviewers and the journal passes through the handling editor and the editorial office. Reviewers do not contact authors directly.
  • Internal editorial — Discussion between the Editor-in-Chief, the handling editor, and other members of the Editorial Board takes place through the journal's secure editorial channels.

7.2  Confidentiality

  • All material submitted to LJD is treated as confidential until the article is published.
  • Reviewers and editors must not disclose any information about a manuscript to anyone other than those directly involved in the review process.
  • Unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used by reviewers or editors for any purpose other than evaluation.
  • Confidentiality extends to the existence of the submission itself: reviewers and editors must not even confirm or deny that a particular manuscript has been received.

7.3  Anonymity

  • LJD operates a double-anonymized peer-review system: the identity of the reviewer is not disclosed to the author, and the identity of the author is not disclosed to the reviewer.
  • Authors must anonymize the main manuscript file before submission.
  • Reviewers must take reasonable care not to reveal their identity in the body of the review.

7.4  Timing of Correspondence

  • Acknowledgement of submission: within five working days.
  • Reviewer invitation response: reviewers are expected to accept or decline within 72 hours.
  • First-round review: reviewers normally have four weeks to complete an initial review.
  • Editorial decision after first round: communicated within one week of the final reviewer report.
  • Revision response: 30 days for minor revisions, 60 days for major revisions.

7.5  Form and Content of Correspondence

  • All formal correspondence is recorded in the manuscript file held by the editorial office.
  • Decision letters set out the editorial decision, summarize the reviewers' reports (anonymized), and give clear instructions on next steps.
  • Reviewer reports are written constructively and respectfully, focus on the scientific content, and avoid personal or institutional remarks.

7.6  Prohibited Contact

The following forms of contact are not permitted at any time during the review of a manuscript:

  • Direct communication between authors and reviewers about the manuscript;
  • Communication that pressures reviewers or editors to deliver a particular decision;
  • Off-record approaches by authors to the Editor-in-Chief or members of the Editorial Board;
  • Any attempt to identify a reviewer or to influence their assessment;
  • Any attempt by a reviewer to use the manuscript content for purposes other than the assigned review.

7.7  Language of Correspondence

The working language of editorial correspondence is English. formal decision letters are issued in English to maintain consistency with the journal's archive.