An international journal devoted to the science and application of advanced surface treatments for improvement of material properties
Peer Review Policy for Surface and Coatings Technology
The practice of peer review is to ensure that only good science is published. It is an objective process at the heart of good scholarly publishing and is carried out on all reputable scientific journals. Our referees play a vital role in maintaining the high standards of Surface and Coatings Technology and all manuscripts are peer reviewed following the procedure outlined below.
Initial manuscript evaluation
The editors first evaluate all manuscripts. It is rare, but it is possible for an exceptional manuscript to be accepted at this stage. Manuscripts rejected at this stage are insufficiently original, have serious scientific flaws, have poor grammar or English language, or are outside the aims and scope of the journal. Authors of manuscripts rejected at this stage will normally be informed approximately within two to three weeks of receipt. Those that meet the minimum criteria are passed on to one or more experts for review at the editor's discretion.
Type of Peer Review
Surface and Coatings Technology employs single blind review, in which referees remain anonymous for the author throughout the process.
How the referee is selected
Whenever possible, referees are matched to the paper according to their expertise. Our database is constantly being updated. We request suggestions of referees from the author, though these recommendations are not necessarily used.
Referee reports
Referees are asked to evaluate whether the manuscript:
- Is original
- Is methodologically sound
- Follows appropriate ethical guidelines
- Has results which are clearly presented and support the conclusions
- Correctly cites earlier relevant work
Language correction is not part of the peer review process. However, if they so wish, referees are welcome to correct the language and suggest ways to improve the presentation of the manuscript.
How long does the review process take?
We expect referees to return their reports within 21 days. In situations where referes decline to review the article or additional referees have to be sought, due to inadequately detailed reports, the refereeing process can take longer. Typically the refereeing process for Surface and Coatings Technology is completed within 2-4 months.
Final report
A final decision to accept or reject the manuscript will be sent to the author along with recommendations made by the referees, and may include verbatim comments by the referees.
Editor's Decision is final
Referees advise the Editor, who is responsible for the final decision to accept or reject the article.
Becoming a referee for Surface and Coatings Technology
The benefits of refereeing for Surface and Coatings Technology include the opportunity to read and evaluate the latest work in your research area at an early stage, and to contribute to the overall integrity of scientific research and its published documentation. If you are not currently a referee for Surface and Coatings Technology, but would like to be considered as a referee, please contact one of the Editors (see contact details at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/surfcoat.
