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How BCPHR reaches editorial decisions, who makes them, and how long they take.
Final editorial decisions on every BCPHR manuscript are made by the Editors-in-Chief. Decisions are based on the recommendations of the assigned associate editor, the comments and recommendations of peer reviewers, and the manuscript's alignment with the journal's mission and scope. Editors evaluate manuscripts exclusively on academic merit and relevance, without regard to authors' demographic or institutional characteristics.
The manuscript is accepted for publication. Minor copy edits may follow but no further substantive changes are required. The manuscript proceeds to typesetting and production.
The manuscript requires small clarifications, minor data updates, or stylistic improvements. Authors typically have two weeks to submit a revised version. Re-review is usually not required; the associate editor confirms the revisions and forwards to the Editor-in-Chief.
The manuscript shows promise but requires substantial revision before it can be considered for acceptance. Authors typically have four to six weeks to submit a revised version. The revised version is re-reviewed, often by the original peer reviewers. The first round of R&R is included in the APC; subsequent rounds carry a fee.
The manuscript is not appropriate for publication in BCPHR. Reasons may include scope mismatch, methodological concerns, lack of original contribution, or low priority for publication. Authors may consider submitting to a different journal.
At BCPHR, an R&R decision generally indicates the editorial team's interest in publishing the manuscript after the requested revisions. R&R is not a polite rejection. Authors who address reviewer concerns thoroughly and respond with revision letters that explain each change have a strong likelihood of acceptance.
During expedited review windows (Jan-Feb, Apr-May, Sep-Oct, Dec), the entire process is compressed to 2 weeks from submission to decision. Expedited review is faster but applies the same standards as standard review.
Decisions are communicated through Scholastica with the reviewer comments and the editorial summary. For accepted manuscripts, authors are asked to acknowledge acceptance within the editor-in-chief's stated window and to complete final production steps. For revise-and-resubmit decisions, authors should respond with a revised manuscript and a point-by-point response to reviewer comments. For rejected manuscripts, authors may consider submitting to a different journal or, if grounds exist, may use the Complaints and Appeals process.
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