This Peer Review and Publication Process explains how IJABF manages peer review, editorial decisions, and the steps from acceptance to publication. IJABF uses an independent review system, protects the confidentiality of submissions, and publishes research that meets academic and ethical standards.
Peer Review Policy
Every new submission is first checked by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned editor to confirm journal fit, basic completeness, and compliance with author guidelines. The editor may also flag early concerns about ethics, transparency, or research quality. If a manuscript does not meet these basic requirements, it may be returned for correction or declined without external review (a desk decision). This gives authors a quicker outcome and helps reviewers focus on papers that are ready for detailed assessment. Manuscripts that pass screening are sent to external peer review. IJABF normally invites at least two independent reviewers with relevant subject knowledge. Reviewers are selected for expertise and must declare any conflict of interest that could affect their judgment. IJABF uses a double-blind peer review process. Reviewers do not know the authors’ identities, and authors do not know the reviewers’ identities. Authors should submit a blinded main manuscript (without names and affiliations) and avoid obvious identifying details where possible. Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback. Reviews should comment on originality, clarity of the research question, method suitability, accuracy of results, and the strength of interpretation and conclusions. Reviewers may also raise concerns about citation practice, ethical issues, or possible plagiarism.
All manuscripts and reviewer reports are confidential. Reviewers must not share the manuscript or use its content for personal advantage. Editors keep reviewer identities confidential, except where disclosure is required by law or a formal investigation. After receiving reviewer reports, the editor makes a decision: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject. When revisions are requested, authors should submit a revised manuscript and a point-by-point response to reviewer comments. Revised manuscripts may be re-reviewed when needed. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision on acceptance, revision, or rejection. Decisions are based on academic merit, relevance to IJABF, and compliance with ethical and publication standards.
Proofing and Publication
After acceptance, the article enters production. The journal may copyedit and format the manuscript to improve clarity and consistency while keeping the meaning unchanged. Authors may be contacted if any points require confirmation. Authors receive page proofs to check for typesetting or layout errors and to confirm that tables, figures, equations, and references are correct. Authors should return corrections promptly. Major changes (new data, new analyses, or substantial rewriting) are not permitted at proof stage unless approved by the editor. After proofs are finalised, the article is published online on the journal website. The journal assigns a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to each published article to support stable linking and accurate citation. Authors are encouraged to share the official published link (the Version of Record) and to cite the final published version in future work. If the article is shared on personal or institutional pages, authors should follow the journal’s copyright and licensing policy and include a full citation and link to the Version of Record.
Journal Publisher / Contact
International Journal of Accounting and Business Finance (IJABF) is published by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. For questions about peer review, editorial decisions, proofs, or publication procedures, please contact the editorial office via the official email address: ijabf@univ.jfn.ac.lk.