PUBLICATION PROCESS

Step 1: Manuscript Submission

Authors are required to an account and submit their manuscript via the online submission system of the journal (https://vjfc.nifc.gov.vn/vn). After submission, the corresponding author will receive a manuscript ID via email. Manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication in any language or by any other scientific journal.

Step 2: Preliminary Review

The Editor-in-Chief conducts an initial screening to determine whether the manuscript aligns with the journal's aims and scope. Manuscripts deemed unsuitable at this stage will be desk rejected, and a notification including the rationale for rejection will be sent to the authors. If the manuscript is suitable, the Editor-in-Chief assigns the manuscript to a handling editor with relevant expertise. The first decision is typically made within 3 to 5 days.

Step 3: Handling Editor Review

The handling editor evaluates the manuscript’s relevance, scientific merit, and compliance with the journal's scope and criteria. Manuscripts failing to meet these criteria can be sent back to the Editor-in-Chief for a desk-rejection without peer review, with a rationale of rejection provided to the authors. Manuscripts that pass the review of the handling editor are sent to reviewers for the peer review process.

Step 4: Reviewer Invitation

The handling editor selects and invites at least two qualified peer reviewers with expertise in the manuscript’s subject area. If a reviewer declines or fails to respond within the designated period (2 weeks), additional reviewers will be invited to ensure that at least two independent experts assess each manuscript. All manuscripts submitted to the journal will be managed uniformly and undergo a single-blind review process. The single-blind review process allows the reviewer to know the author's identity, but the author is unaware of the reviewer's identity.

Step 5: Peer Review

Invited reviewers assess the manuscript according to the journal’s evaluation criteria and submit their reports. Typically, the initial review period is two weeks. Review outcomes may include: Acceptance, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Rejection.

Step 6: Editorial Decision

The handling editor evaluates and summarizes all the reviewers’ comments to determine the next status for the manuscript: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. In cases of significant discrepancies between reviewers’ recommendations, the manuscript may be sent to a third reviewer for further evaluation. The final decision at this stage will be based on all reviewer reports.

6.1. Acceptance 

If the manuscript is accepted, the handling editor sends the Editor-in-Chief for issuing an acceptance notice to authors via email. The manuscript is then forwarded to the secretary board for production step.

6.2. Minor Revision

If minor revision is required, the handling editor notifies the authors via email, along with the reviewer comments. Authors are expected to revise the manuscript accordingly and submit both the revised version and a detailed response to reviewers via the online system as soon as possible. 

Minor revisions are typically required to address minor issues or clarify certain aspects without altering the manuscript’s core content. Afterward, the handling editor may assess the revisions without further peer review. If additional clarification of core content is required, the revised manuscript may be resubmitted to the reviewers for further review. Based on the revisions and responses, the handling editor determines whether to accept the manuscript (as in 6.1) or request additional revisions.

6.3. Major Revision

If major revision is required, the handling editor notifies the authors via email, along with the reviewer comments. Authors must resubmit the revised manuscript following the comments of reviewers and the handing editor, along with a detailed response to the reviewers and editor.

Afterward, the handling editor reviews the revised manuscript and the authors’ responses, and send them back to the original reviewers for re-review. Based on the result, the handling editor makes a decision for the manuscript, which may be acceptance (as in 6.1), further revision, or rejection (as in 6.4).

6.4. Rejection

If the handing editor makes a rejection decision on the manuscript, the Editor-in-Chief issues the decision to authors via email, along with the reasons for rejection and the reviewer comments.

Step 7: Article Production

Following acceptance, the manuscript undergoes copyediting by the editorial office to correct typographical, grammatical, and referencing errors, if applicable. The manuscript is then formatted following the journal’s publication standards.

If the original Vietnamese manuscript is required to be translated into English, the editorial office will consult with the authors to determine whether the author(s) or the editorial team will perform the translation. If the authors provide the translation, the editorial office is responsible for verifying consistency with the original Vietnamese version. If the editorial team provides the translation, the authors review and approve the final translated manuscript before further processing.

The final version is sent to the corresponding author and the Editor-in-Chief for proofreading, which should be completed within five days. Once finalized, the manuscript is published online on the journal's website and forwarded for printing publication.

Publication process