IMCC Journal of Science

IMCC Journal of Science is an open-access journal and does not charge submission fees or article processing charges (APCs). All manuscripts are handled through a structured editorial workflow designed to protect integrity, ensure consistency with the journal’s standards, and support a fair double-blind peer review process.

Step 1: Submission and preliminary screening

The corresponding author submits the manuscript. Upon receipt, the Managing Editor conducts the initial screening to confirm that the paper fits the journal’s scope and follows the Author Guidelines. This screening includes the journal’s technical requirements: a readability score of at least 90% (checked using Grammarly) and a similarity index below 10% (checked using Turnitin Feedback Studio). Manuscripts that fail these requirements, are incomplete, or fall outside the journal’s thematic focus are desk rejected, and the author is informed of the result. If suitable, the Editor-in-Chief endorses the manuscript for peer review and assigns it to the Managing Editor for handling.

Step 2: Reviewer selection and invitations

The Managing Editor manages the peer review stage by identifying and assigning qualified reviewers based on subject-matter expertise, typically including at least two external peer reviewers. The Managing Editor may also assign an advisory editor reviewer when appropriate. The Managing Editor then sends the formal invitations, tracks acceptances and declines, issues additional invitations when needed, and ensures reviewer compliance with confidentiality and conflict-of-interest requirements. Reviewers accept only if they have the expertise, no disqualifying conflicts, and availability to complete the review on time.

Step 3: Double-blind peer review

Reviewers evaluate the manuscript under a strict double-blind process and submit written reports assessing originality, scientific rigor, methodology, ethical compliance, clarity, and scholarly contribution. The journal aims to return initial feedback within about one month when feasible, but complex submissions may require a longer period and the review timeline may extend up to three months to ensure sufficient depth.

Step 4: Editorial evaluation of reports and decision 

Once reviewer reports are received, the Managing Editor compiles and forwards the anonymized reviews to the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the reports, resolves inconsistencies when possible, and issues the official decision (accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject). As a standard policy, publication requires favorable endorsements from at least two reviewers. If no reviewers recommend acceptance or further revision, the manuscript is rejected and the review process is closed.

Step 5: Revision stage 

If revision is invited, authors must submit a response to every reviewer comment. Authors are not required to adopt every suggestion, but they must provide a clear, point-by-point reply. The journal requires three documents for re-evaluation: (1) a point-by-point response, (2) a revised manuscript with tracked/highlighted changes, and (3) a clean revised manuscript. Authors are allowed up to six (6) months to submit revisions and may request one extension of up to one (1) month. The Managing Editor checks that the revision package is complete and that each reviewer point has been addressed or justified, then forwards the file to the Associate Editor.

Step 6: Re-review policy and final decision

Revised manuscripts are generally evaluated editorially without returning to the original reviewers. A second-round review occurs only when a reviewer explicitly requested verification of specific changes, or when the Associate Editor and/or Editor-in-Chief determines that re-review is necessary due to major unresolved issues. The Associate Editor provides a recommendation based on the revision (and any re-review), and the Editor-in-Chief issues the final accept/reject decision.

Step 7: Production and publication

After acceptance, the Managing Editor coordinates production, including language editing, layout, and proof preparation. The corresponding author receives the galley proof for final checking and minor corrections within the proofing window. Required publication documents (e.g., author approval and copyright-related forms) are collected at this stage. The Editor-in-Chief, upon the recommendation of the Associate Editor where applicable, provides final clearance for publication. The journal then releases the article online and completes indexing, and includes it in print publication when applicable. The corresponding author is notified once the article is published.

Digital Preservation Policy

Digital preservation can be seen as the set of processes and activities that ensure information which now exists in digital formats is backed up and distributed to guarantee continued access for the long term. The digital content of the journal is extremely valuable and measures are in place to ensure both its current accessibility and long-term preservation. The preservation policy includes the following measures:

Website Archiving. All of journal’s electronic content (website, manuscripts, etc.) is stored on three different sources. Content on one server is online and accessible to the readers. The copy of the same content is kept as a backup on two other sources. In case of failure of one server, any one of the other sources can be made online and website expected to be accessible within less than 24-36 hours.

Abstracting/Indexing Services. The journal’s Abstracting/Indexing services store many essential information about the articles. Additionally, two of the journal’s Abstracting/Indexing services archive not only the metadata about the article, but the electronic versions of the articles, as well. Therefore, copies of the articles are available to the scientific community through their systems as an alternative to the journals own.

Internet Archive. IMCC Journal of Science content is continually archived and preserved in Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/@imcc_journal_of_science

Schedule of Publication and Circulation

IMCC Journal of Science is published in online and print biannually. Both online and print publication shall be scheduled in the last week of June and December. There shall be at least five papers per volume excluding the entries in the Editorial Section.

IMCC Journal of Science is available in printed copy. The dissemination of the journal will be in the form of subscription for public and private institutions and agencies. Articles are published online in the official website of the journal (https://myjournal.imcc.edu.ph/).