Information For Librarians

Peer Review Process

HolCien adheres to the unified requirements for biomedical journals established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. All rigorous research involves an impartial, independent, and critical evaluation process, which is intrinsic to the operation. All articles will undergo a double-blind peer review system.

Upon receiving a submission, the assigned editor will evaluate whether it aligns with the thematic profile of the journal, its relevance, and adherence to publication guidelines.

The editor, after approving the proposal to initiate the editorial process, will assign its review to an academic peer (reviewer), following the double-blind method, ensuring anonymity, with a 15-day deadline for evaluation. The peer review serves two purposes: first, to decide whether to publish the evaluated article; and second, to allow authors to consider, through recommendations, some opinions on the research results they present. For this, the journal relies on a committee of internal and external experts, with high prestige and experience in various specialties and topics, who will determine both the validity of the ideas and results and their impact on the field of Medical Sciences.

To conduct the review, the guidelines for evaluating articles according to their type must be followed. These guidelines consist of two parts: one related to the quality criteria of the article being evaluated, and the other concerning the final decision of the reviewer. In their comments, the reviewer may reflect arguments about the evaluation of each question and include some recommendations regarding the content.

The results of the review process will be evaluated by the Editor, who will prepare the verdict (conclusions) based on the opinions issued by the selected reviewers or, if necessary, decide to send the work to another specialist. Every substantiated decision will be communicated in writing to the author as quickly as possible and will consist of: approving the work without modifications; approving the work subject to minor adjustments; returning the work for major revisions and new review; or not accepting it for publication.

When major or minor adjustments to the work are requested, if the author agrees to continue the process, they must address the requested modifications within the set timeframe (15 days). If they disagree with some of the requested modifications, they must provide a scientific basis for their reasons. Accepted works may require clarifications during the editing process, which will be directly requested by the Editor. In such cases, authors are obliged to respond promptly. Failure to respond could result in the exclusion of the article from the scheduled issue. Rejection decisions are final, leaving the author free to submit the work to another publication.

Authors must correct the first proofs within a maximum of 15 days from the request; otherwise, it will be understood that they accept the corrections made by the editorial team. After this point, HolCien reserves the right to make all necessary editorial adjustments and modifications to ensure the highest quality of the publication. Once the article has been evaluated, the journal editor will communicate to the authors the acceptance of the work for publication.

During the review process, special care will be taken to adhere to established ethical standards, avoiding conflicts of interest. It is strictly prohibited for reviewers to use the knowledge gained during the evaluation of the work for personal benefit before its publication, as well as to publicly disclose the research results.

Materials under review cannot be reproduced or discussed with anyone without the consent of the journal's director. The names of the reviewers who evaluate each particular work will not be disclosed, although, as a form of recognition, they may be revealed collectively. The journal's Editorial Committee reserves the right to reject articles deemed inappropriate for publication. Once each issue is published, authors cannot suggest changes to the original version.

HolCien commits to publishing the accepted manuscript within one year of its submission to the journal, although the result of the initial evaluation will be provided within a maximum of 90 days.