The publication journey in PQ involves preparation, rigorous peer review, and final production, adhering strictly to the journal's ethical and format 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 five essential files (anonymized manuscript, title page, Declaration of Competing Interests Form, Cover letter, and Similarity check certificate).
• Reviewer Suggestions/Exclusions: Authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers and/or request the exclusion of specific individuals (usually a maximum of two). Suggested reviewers must be independent and not connected to the work; institutional emails or verified IDs should be provided to verify identity. Note that the editor is not obligated to use suggested reviewers.

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 10 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. PQ follows a double-blind peer-review policy, ensuring the identity of authors is hidden from reviewers and vice versa. The average time for the entire refereeing process is 8 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 21%. Decisions generally fall into categories: Immidiate 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, only one appeal per submission is considered, and the decision rendered is final. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or Handling Editor, who determines whether the decision stands or if an additional independent opinion is needed.

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

Manuscript Transfer Service

If a manuscript is rejected but deemed suitable for another scholarly publication, the editor may recommend its transfer to an alternative journal, facilitating submission to a more appropriate venue. If the author accepts the recommendation, the manuscript and any existing reviewer reports may be automatically transferred.

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 unrestricted copyrights and publishing rights. The article is published under a CC BY 4.0. license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en). This allows reuse and distribution, provided the author and journal are properly credited.

Publication Charges

To support the sustainability of high-quality publishing and the broad dissemination of content, an Article Processing Charge (APC) of 6,000,000 Iranian Rials is applied to manuscripts (3,000,000 at the submission phase nad 3,000,000 after manuscript acceptance).

Online Publication

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