Our Peer Review Policy

The Journal of South African Democratic Teachers Union (JSADTU) employs a double-blind review process to ensure anonymity for both authors and reviewers. The journal strives to make prompt decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts. Manuscripts that do not align with the journal's focus or meet its editorial criteria are not advanced to the review stage.

Guidelines for Reviewers
Reviewers are vital to maintaining academic integrity and must follow these responsibilities:

• Disclosure of Conflicts: Reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts, whether personal, financial, or intellectual, and should decline the review if conflicted.
• Timeliness: Reviewers should respond swiftly to review requests, accepting only if they can complete it within the specified time. Any changes in availability should be communicated to the journal.
• Review Execution: Reviewers are expected to thoroughly evaluate the manuscript and adhere to the confidentiality of the review process.
• Ethical Concerns: If ethical issues are suspected, reviewers should notify the editor without conducting independent investigations.
• Peer Review Transfer: Reviewers may be asked to transfer their review to another journal within the publisher's portfolio and should document any criteria changes if agreed.

Preparing Review Reports

Reports should be crafted according to journal standards, ensuring feedback is objective, constructive, and thorough to aid authors. Confidentiality should be respected, and reviewers should avoid hostile comments, ensure feedback aligns with recommendations, and refrain from proposing unnecessary citations.

Responsibilities of Authors
Authors also play a role in upholding research integrity by:

• Declaring Conflicts: Authors must disclose all conflicts of interest, including personal, financial, and intellectual.
• Timely Revision: Authors should address reviewers' feedback and submit revisions within the allotted time.

Post-Review Protocols
Reviewers should remain open to reassessing resubmitted manuscripts and promptly notify the journal of any information that could influence their original review. Confidentiality must be maintained even after the review process concludes.