The publication journey in JAROS involves preparation, rigorous peer review, and final production, all while strictly adhering to the journal's ethical and formatting requirements.

1. Preparing the Manuscript

Before submission, authors must rigorously prepare their files and adhere to all formatting guidelines (see Instructions to Authors above) and complete the required materials.

• Anonymity Check: Ensure the main manuscript file, figures, and any supplementary data are completely anonymized for the double-blind review process.
• Permissions: Obtain written permission from the copyright holder(s) for the print and online use of any previously published figures, tables, or extracts.
• Submission Declaration: By submitting the article, authors implicitly declare that the work has not been published elsewhere (except in allowed formats like preprints/theses), is not under consideration elsewhere, and that publication is approved by all authors.
• ORCID: Register for and include your ORCID ID (https://orcid.org).

2. Submission Process

All manuscripts must be submitted through the journal’s dedicated online submission system by the corresponding author(s).

• Required Uploads: Upload the six essential files (Anonymized manuscript, Title page, Signed Declaration of Competing Interests Form, Cover letter, Similarity check certificate, and Extended Abstract).
• Reviewer Suggestions/Exclusions: Authors may suggest qualified reviewers or request the exclusion of specific individuals from reviewing their manuscript. Suggested reviewers should possess relevant subject expertise and be free from conflicts of interest with the authors or the research. Requests for reviewer exclusion should be accompanied by a brief justification. All suggestions and exclusion requests are considered at the discretion of the editorial team. The journal's editors remain solely responsible for the final selection and appointment of reviewers and are not obliged to follow authors' recommendations.

3. Review and Decision Process

The submission undergoes initial editorial screening followed by peer review.

• Initial Review: Editor(s) initially assess the submission for suitability, scope, and adherence to basic ethical guidelines. This primary review stage takes approximately 9 days. Unsuitable manuscripts may be rejected immediately without external peer review.
• Peer Review: Suitable manuscripts are sent to a minimum of two independent, external reviewers for expert assessment. JAROS follows a double-blind peer-review policy, ensuring the identity of authors is hidden from reviewers and vice versa. The average refereeing process takes 9 weeks.
• Editorial Decision: The editor makes the final publication decision based on the reviewer reports and their own judgment. The journal maintains a highly selective acceptance percentage of almost 50%. Decisions generally fall into categories: Immediate Accept, Minor Revisions Required, Major Revisions Required, or Reject.

4. Post-Decision Procedures

Revisions

If revisions are requested, authors must address the comments from reviewers and the editor thoroughly. Major revisions may require significant time and effort, potentially weeks or months. Authors then resubmit the revised paper through the system.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors may submit a formal appeal request against an editorial decision (e.g., rejection), provided it meets journal requirements and follows the procedure. Typically, the journal considers only one appeal per submission, and the decision is final. The Editor-in-Chief or Handling Editor reviews appeals and decides whether to uphold the decision or seek an additional independent opinion.

Complaints regarding non-editorial processes (e.g., excessive delays) or publication ethics issues are taken seriously and are investigated following COPE guidelines and processes.

5. Post-Acceptance and Publication

Proof Correction

Once accepted, the article enters production (copyediting and typesetting). The corresponding author is sent page proofs for review, often via an online system. Authors are usually required to return corrections quickly (e.g., within three working days). Proofing is only for checking typesetting, completeness, and accuracy; substantial changes to content (e.g., new results or rewriting large text sections) are not permitted without special editor approval.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright in their published articles without restriction and grant the Journal of Asian Regional Orders Studies (JAROS) the non-exclusive right of first publication.

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits copying, redistribution, adaptation, and commercial reuse, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s), the source of publication is acknowledged, a link to the license is provided, and any changes are indicated. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en).

The journal does not require authors to transfer copyright or grant exclusive publishing rights.

Online Publication

The article will be published online immediately upon finalization. Since JAROS is open access, the final published version is openly available and can be shared using the article's DOI link.