Enacted on October 1, 2019
All manuscripts are reviewed by the editors, members of the Editorial Board, or other qualified reviewers. Each manuscript receives at least two simultaneous reviews. When a manuscript is submitted online, it is assigned to one of the editors. Each reviewer makes a specific recommendation to the editor for the manuscript, based on the following aspects as applicable: importance of the research, originality of the work, appropriateness of the experimental design, soundness of conclusions and interpretations, relevance of discussion, and demonstration of reproducibility.
The corresponding author is notified an average of three weeks after submission of the editor’s decision to accept, reject, or require modification. When a manuscript is returned to the corresponding author for modification, it should be returned to the editor within two months; otherwise it may be considered withdrawn.
1. Submission process
1) A manuscript must be written in the MS Word format. Submission of a manuscript must be only through the submission system at the journal home (http://www.pastj.org). The first or corresponding author shall upload all files related to the manuscript on the submission system.
2) Upon submission, a cover letter must be provided and attached along with the manuscript files. The cover letter form and example can be downloaded from the submission system. The cover letter must include title and a brief explanation on significance of the manuscript, and contact information (e-mail address and phone number) of the corresponding author. The author(s) also are required to transfer the copy right of the manuscript to the society. All the authors must agree to publish the manuscript.
2. Judgment
A submitted manuscript will be reviewed by at least two peer reviewers as single-blinded review, and judged in the following categories: Accepted, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Rejected.
3. No appeal policy
The authors may not appeal on the reviewers’ judgment, and this policy is applied automatically upon submission of a manuscript.
4. Peer Review procedure
Step 1: Format screen
1) A manuscript must be written in the paper format described in the submission guideline posted at the journal home (http://www.pagt.org).
2) A manuscript that does not comply with the paper format will be immediately returned.
3) The author shall have to resubmit after revision to comply with the paper format.
Step 2: Editor assignment
1) A manuscript passed Step 1 shall be assigned by Editor-in-Chief to Associate Editors depending on the area.
2) An automatic e-mail feedback will be sent to the author.
Step 3: Reviewer assignment
1) The editor shall assign two other reviewers having specialty in the focus of the manuscript.
2) When there is disagreement in judgment among the reviewers, the editor may make a final judgment or assign another reviewer.
3) The editor may be one of the reviewers when there are no relevant reviewers, or abnormal delay has occurred during the review process.
4) The reviewers shall be anonymous and the review results shall not be disclosed to the others except for the author and the editors.
Step 4: Review
1) The reviewer shall complete his/her review within two weeks from receiving the review requesting e-mail.
2) Upon receiving the review request, the reviewer shall log in the journal home, sign in on the review consent, and download the files. The reviewer shall make a clear note or record with a different color at the part requiring revision.(Word file)
3) The reviewer shall write a summary, and upload it along with the reviewed file, and click/submit the preliminary judgment (Minor Revision, Major Revision and Rejected). “Accepted” judgment must not be clicked.
4) When the reviewer submits his/her review result, an automatic notice e-mail will be sent to editor.
Step 5: Judgment
1) Upon receiving the review results, the editor shall write an integrated summary with the reviewers’ summaries and additional opinions of the editor if any. Then the editor will upload the integrated summary along with all the files from the reviewers.
2) Upon completion of the review, the result shall immediately be notified to the corresponding author.
3) If the judgment is “Accepted”, the manuscript will be placed to publication (Step 7).
4) If the judgments of the two reviewers are “Minor or Major Revision” required, the manuscript will be place to the Revision and Resubmission (Step 6)
5) If one of the judgments is “Minor or Major Revision” required, but the other is “Rejected”, then the editor may assign a third reviewer, may become the third reviewer by him/herself, or judge in discussion with other editor(s).
6) If the judgment is “Rejected”, the manuscript will be returned to the corresponding author immediately.
Step 6: Revision or Resubmission
1) Upon receiving the review result, the corresponding author shall upload the revised manuscript within 2 weeks. If the author cannot upload the revised manuscript within 2 weeks, he/she must inform the delay to the editor and obtain an approval.
2) A Rejected manuscript may be resubmitted, but must declare the previous submission and judgment.
Step 7: Publication
1) The Accepted manuscripts are published in an order of Plant & Forest, Animal, Food & Chemistry, Engineering and Management & Economics papers.
2) Final files will go through technical corrections by the editor and be sent to the publisher.