Editorial Policy

Peer Review Policy

Peer-reviewed articles are fundamental to the development of reliable, evidence-based, and impactful scholarly knowledge. Kertas of Multidisciplinary Humanitarian Science (KMHS) upholds a rigorous and transparent peer-review process to ensure the academic quality and integrity of all published work.

KMHS uses a single-blind peer review model: reviewers remain anonymous, while authors’ identities are known to the reviewers.

Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial evaluation by the Editor-in-Chief or assigned Section Editors to assess:

Relevance to the scope and mission of KMHS
Originality and novelty of the research
Compliance with submission guidelines and formatting standards

Manuscripts that meet these criteria are advanced to the peer-review stage.

Peer Review Process

Each manuscript is typically reviewed by at least two independent experts in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected based on subject matter expertise, disciplinary relevance, and familiarity with the manuscript's content.

Reviewers assess manuscripts on the following criteria:

Originality: Contribution of new insights or approaches to humanitarian research
Significance: Validity and relevance of findings, and justification of conclusions
Structure and Format: Adherence to KMHS author guidelines
Relevance: Usefulness and impact for KMHS readers and the broader humanitarian community
Language Quality: Clear and professional use of English
Overall Merit: Scholarly quality and rigor

The Editor-in-Chief makes the final publication decision, considering the reviewers’ recommendations, quality of revisions, and the manuscript’s contribution to the field. Editors recuse themselves from handling any manuscript in which they have a conflict of interest (e.g., personal relationships, co-authorship, institutional ties, or financial stakes).

Review Outcomes

Following the peer review process, one of the following decisions may be issued:

Accept as is: Rare; the manuscript meets all publication standards.
Accept with minor revisions: Minor adjustments required (e.g., grammar, structure).
Accept after major revisions: Substantial improvements needed in analysis, methodology, or clarity.
Revise and resubmit: Manuscript requires major revisions and will undergo a new review cycle.
Reject: The submission is declined due to critical flaws or lack of alignment with KMHS objectives.

Reviewer feedback is moderated by the editorial team to ensure clarity and professionalism. Any confidential comments intended solely for the editorial team are not shared with authors.

Editorial Discretion

Editors or Editorial Board members may review submissions in their area of expertise if no conflict of interest exists.
The Editor-in-Chief may invite additional reviewers or advisory input as necessary.
Final editorial decisions are based on reviewer evaluations, author revisions, and alignment with KMHS's academic and humanitarian mission.