Editorial and Peer Review Policies

Pinnacle Science publishes a portfolio of peer-reviewed journals in the health sciences that adhere to transparent editorial standards, ethical publishing practices, and rigorous peer-review procedures consistent with international indexing expectations.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening followed by external peer review when appropriate. Pinnacle Science journals use a single-blind peer review process, in which reviewers know the identity of the authors, but authors do not know the identity of reviewers.

Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission, the Editor-in-Chief or assigned handling editor conducts a preliminary assessment to determine whether the manuscript:

  • Fits the aims and scope of the journal

  • Meets minimum methodological and reporting standards

  • Demonstrates originality and scholarly relevance

  • Adheres to journal formatting and submission guidelines

  • Meets ethical and authorship requirements

Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be desk rejected prior to peer review. This step ensures that reviewers’ time is reserved for submissions with sufficient scientific merit and relevance.

Peer Review Process

Manuscripts that pass initial editorial screening are assigned to at least one independent expert reviewer, and typically two reviewers, selected based on subject-matter expertise and absence of conflicts of interest.

  • Reviewers evaluate the manuscript’s methodology, clarity, originality, validity of conclusions, and relevance to the field.

  • Reviewers provide written feedback and a recommendation to accept, revise, or reject the manuscript.

  • When only one external reviewer is used, the handling editor provides an additional scholarly evaluation to ensure review depth.

The Editor-in-Chief or handling editor makes the final publication decision, particularly in cases of divergent reviewer recommendations.

Revision Process

If revisions are requested:

  • Authors are provided anonymized reviewer comments and editorial guidance.

  • Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed editorially depending on the extent of revisions.

  • Multiple revision rounds may occur until the manuscript meets publication standards or is declined.

Initial Editorial Review and Decision Timeline

Following manuscript submission, the Editor-in-Chief or assigned handling editor conducts an initial editorial assessment to evaluate the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s aims and scope, adherence to submission guidelines, and overall scholarly quality. An initial editorial decision regarding whether the manuscript will proceed to peer review is typically made within three days of submission. Once a qualified reviewer agrees to evaluate the manuscript, reviewers are requested to provide their recommendation within 21 days. If revisions are requested, authors are asked to submit a revised manuscript within 21 days of receiving the decision notification. These timelines are intended to promote an efficient review process while maintaining the rigor and quality of peer review.

Ethical Standards

Pinnacle Science journals adhere to the principles and Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The editorial process is conducted in accordance with recognized international standards for transparency, integrity, and ethical publishing.

All submitted manuscripts must comply with the following ethical requirements:

  • Disclosure of conflicts of interest

  • Confirmation of ethical approval for human or animal research, where applicable

  • Informed consent statements when required

  • Compliance with authorship criteria

  • Disclosure of funding sources

  • Transparency in data reporting and statistical methods

Allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, or undisclosed conflicts of interest, are handled in accordance with COPE guidelines. Where necessary, corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions will be issued to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Publication and Licensing

Accepted manuscripts are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). Upon publication:

Peer Review Workflow

  1. Manuscript submitted by the corresponding author using journal template with required metadata and author disclosures

  2. Editorial screening for scope, quality, and compliance

  3. Assignment to one or two qualified peer reviewers

  4. Reviewer recommendations returned to editor

  5. Editorial decision issued (accept, revise, or reject)

  6. If revisions are requested, authors revise and resubmit

  7. Revisions for the manuscript are assessed and a recommendation is submitted by the reviewers to the editor.

  8. Final editorial decision rendered by the editor

  9. If accepted, article published open access with DOI and CC BY 4.0 license.