Editorial and Review Process for Books and Book Chapters
The editorial and review process for books and chapters published by AG Editor is a crucial task aimed at ensuring that all works meet the required standards of academic quality, originality, and impact within their respective fields of knowledge.
This essential process is carried out through an external expert review system, in which manuscripts are evaluated by independent specialists recognized for their expertise and academic credentials. These reviewers are unrelated to one another and unaware of the authorship of the work being evaluated, ensuring fairness and impartiality throughout the process.
The task of the external reviewers is to collaborate with the Editorial Committee in verifying the originality, relevance, structure, and academic rigor of the manuscript, as well as its adherence to AG Editor’s formal and ethical publishing requirements.
Their evaluation focuses on a thorough and constructive analysis of both content and presentation, with the aim of improving the overall quality of the book or chapter before publication.
The reviewers of AG Editor Books form part of a constantly expanding international network of scholars and professionals, generally holding doctoral degrees or possessing recognized prestige in their respective disciplines. Preference is given to reviewers who have published in peer-reviewed journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science, or who have demonstrated extensive academic experience in book publishing.
All manuscripts submitted for review are treated as confidential materials. Reviewers must refrain from disclosing or using the information contained in the manuscript for personal benefit or that of third parties. If external consultation or verification is required, the editorial office will coordinate and authorize such actions to preserve confidentiality and ethical compliance.
Steps and Timeframe of the Review Process
- Submission and Registration
Book manuscripts or book chapters are received by the editorial office following the pre-approval of a publication proposal or editorial project. Each submission receives a unique reference number for tracking and correspondence. - Initial Editorial Screening
The Editor-in-Chief or designated Book Editor performs an initial assessment of all manuscripts.
Submissions that do not meet the minimum quality or editorial criteria—such as originality, academic contribution, or linguistic clarity—may be declined at this stage.
Those that meet the minimum standards proceed to external review. - External Review
Each manuscript is sent to at least two independent reviewers for evaluation.
The reviewers assess the manuscript’s originality, scholarly contribution, structure, and adherence to ethical standards.
The average time for the initial review decision is 45 to 60 days from the date of submission. - Author Revisions
All reviewer and editor comments are compiled and sent to the author(s) or editor(s) for consideration.
Authors are expected to return the revised version along with a detailed response letter within 15 days of receiving the feedback. - Final Review and Editorial Decision
If reviewers’ opinions differ significantly, a third reviewer may be invited to provide an additional assessment.
The final decision regarding acceptance or rejection rests with the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial board.
When accepted, the manuscript enters the production stage for formatting, proofreading, DOI registration, and publication. - Publication and Indexing
Accepted book manuscripts and chapters are published under the AG Editor Books Collection.
All works are assigned ISBN and, where applicable, DOI identifiers, ensuring citation and academic visibility.
The editorial team oversees the submission of metadata and published content to indexing and archiving services as appropriate.
Stages and Timeframes of the Review Process
The interaction between reviewers and the editorial team is carried out through the publisher’s communication platform and email correspondence to maintain a complete digital record of all stages of the review process (traceability and transparency).
Once reviewers receive the editorial invitation via email, they have a maximum of 10 days to accept or decline the review.
This invitation includes the title and abstract of the book or chapter, as well as the expected timeline for the evaluation.
Upon acceptance, reviewers receive access to the full manuscript and a standardized review form.
Reviewers must submit their reports and recommendations within six weeks (42 days) from the date of acceptance.
They may include detailed written comments or an attached review document. The final recommendation should be consistent with the reviewer’s qualitative and quantitative evaluation.
In case of significant discrepancies between reviewer recommendations, the editor will assign a third reviewer for an independent evaluation.
If the manuscript is subject to a second round of review, it will preferably be re-evaluated by the same reviewers to ensure consistency.
The final acceptance of the book or chapter lies with the Book Editor or Editor-in-Chief, based on the reviewers’ reports and the author’s revisions.
Once approved, the manuscript proceeds to the final editorial stages—layout, proof editing, and publication under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, ensuring open and unrestricted access for readers worldwide.
