Peer-Review Process

Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat  is a peer-reviewed journal published twice a year, accepting manuscripts in both Indonesian and English. The journal focuses on community service initiatives carried out by lecturers and students. To ensure the quality and integrity of published research, all manuscripts undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process, where the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous.

The peer-review process in Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat  consists of the following stages:

1. Initial Evaluation

Upon submission, all manuscripts are subjected to an initial screening by the editorial board to ensure they align with the journal's focus and scope and adhere to the author guidelines. Manuscripts that fail to meet these criteria will be rejected without further review.

Additionally, the editorial team conducts a plagiarism check using Plagiarism Checker X software. Manuscripts with a similarity level above 30% will be automatically rejected. Formatting and citation styles are also reviewed at this stage. If the manuscript does not conform to the journal's formatting standards, it will be returned to the author for revision before proceeding to the review stage.

2. Assignment of Reviewers

Manuscripts that pass the initial evaluation are assigned to at least two independent reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. The reviewers are selected based on their expertise, research background, and institutional affiliation, ensuring diversity and objectivity.

To maintain the double-blind review process, any identifying information about the authors must be removed from the manuscript and placed in a separate title page file. The editorial team will ensure that the invited reviewers are not affiliated with the same institutions as the authors. Review invitations are typically sent within two weeks of submission.

3. Review Process

Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on its scientific merit, originality, methodology, validity, and relevance to the field of community service. They are given up to six weeks to complete their reviews, providing constructive feedback and recommendations for improvement.

Based on their assessment, reviewers may recommend one of the following outcomes:

• Accept without revision (minor edits may be required)
• Accept with minor revisions (authors must make minor modifications)
• Major revisions required (substantial improvements needed before reconsideration)
• Reject (unsuitable for publication)

If the reviewers' recommendations differ significantly, an additional reviewer may be invited to evaluate the manuscript before a final decision is made.

4. Editorial Decision

The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the assigned academic editor, will make the final decision based on the reviewers' comments and recommendations. The possible decisions include:

• Accept (the manuscript is ready for publication)
• Minor revision (authors have two weeks to submit the revised manuscript)
• Major revision (authors have four weeks to submit the revised manuscript)
• Reject (manuscript does not meet the journal's standards)

Authors will receive feedback and a decision letter via the online submission system. If revisions are required, the authors must submit a revised version along with a response letter addressing the reviewers’ comments.

5. Revision Process

If a manuscript requires revisions, the authors must:

• Highlight all changes in the revised manuscript
• Provide a detailed response letter addressing each reviewer’s comments
• Resubmit within the specified deadline (two weeks for minor revisions, four weeks for major revisions)

For major revisions, the revised manuscript will undergo a second round of peer review by the same reviewers. Minor revisions, however, may not require a second review.

6. Final Publication

Once the manuscript is accepted for publication, the authors will be required to submit the final version. The article will then go through a copyediting and formatting process before being published online.

The average time from submission to the first decision is approximately one month, while the time from acceptance to publication is 2 to 4 weeks. The editorial team ensures a fair and transparent review process to maintain the highest quality of published research.

Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat  is committed to maintaining academic integrity and promoting research that benefits communities through meaningful engagement and service.