Peer Review Policy

Editorial and Peer Review Process

Creative Saplings (CS) is a monthly, peer-reviewed, open-access journal committed to maintaining high academic and ethical standards. The journal follows a double-blind peer review process, ensuring that both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other.

Initial Screening

  1. Editorial Review: All manuscripts undergo a preliminary assessment by the editorial team to check for:
    • Relevance to the journal’s scope
    • Originality and plagiarism (checked using plagiarism detection software)
    • Adherence to submission guidelines
  2. Manuscripts that pass this initial screening are sent for double-blind peer review by at least two independent experts in the relevant field.

Peer Review Process and Timeline

 

Creative Saplings is committed to maintaining a rigorous and transparent peer review process for all submissions. The journal follows a double-blind peer review model in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the evaluation process.

  • Desk Review: Upon submission, all manuscripts are assessed by the editorial team within 7 working days. Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's scope, formatting requirements, or minimum academic standards are desk-rejected at this stage, and authors are notified promptly.
  • Reviewer Assignment: Manuscripts that pass desk review are assigned to a minimum of two independent subject-expert reviewers within 7 days.
  • Review Duration: Reviewers are requested to submit their detailed evaluations within 3–4 weeks of receiving the manuscript.
  • Author Communication: Authors receive the consolidated reviewer comments along with one of the following editorial decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. The typical timeline from submission to final decision is 5–7 weeks, depending on reviewer availability and manuscript complexity.
  • Revision Submission: Where revisions are required, authors are given a reasonable deadline to respond to reviewer comments. Revised manuscripts are re-evaluated by the editorial team and, where necessary, returned to the original reviewers.
  • Final Decision: The final acceptance decision rests with the Chief Editor, whose judgment is final in cases of conflicting reviewer opinions.

Given the journal's monthly publication schedule, accepted and copyedited manuscripts are scheduled for the next available issue following successful completion of all post-acceptance formalities.

Review Criteria

Reviewers assess manuscripts based on the following:

  • Originality and significance of research
  • Relevance to the field of English language and literature
  • Clarity and coherence in argument and writing style
  • Research methodology and analysis (if required)
  • Overall contribution to the discipline

Possible Review Outcomes

After evaluation, reviewers recommend one of the following:

  • Accept without revisions
  • Accept with minor revisions
  • Accept with major revisions (requires re-evaluation)
  • Reject

Ethical Standards and Transparency

Creative Saplings adheres to the highest ethical publishing standards and follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines to ensure:

  • Fair and unbiased peer review
  • Prevention of plagiarism and duplicate submissions
  • Confidentiality and conflict of interest disclosure

Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest and ensure an objective evaluation of submissions.

Appeals and Author Reconsideration

Authors can appeal editorial decisions by providing a written justification. Appeals are reviewed independently by the editorial board, and a final decision is communicated within 10 days.

Open Access and Licensing

Creative Saplings is a fully open-access journal operating under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). This means:

  • Articles are freely available to read, download, copy, distribute, and print.
  • Content can be shared and adapted with proper attribution but cannot be used for commercial purposes.

Commitment to Timely and Quality Publication

Being a monthly journal, Creative Saplings ensures a swift yet thorough peer review and publication process, balancing quality with efficiency. The journal continuously strives to enhance its peer review mechanisms and welcomes feedback from authors and reviewers.