Editorial Process

Editorial Standards

Editorial Process

At The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), every manuscript follows a structured editorial pathway designed to support scientific integrity, originality, methodological quality, ethical publishing, and relevance to the global surgical and perioperative community.

Initial Editorial Screening Double-Blind Peer Review Independent Reviewers Editor-in-Chief Final Decision DOI Registration
01 Submission

Receipt, acknowledgment and completeness checks.

02 Screening

Scope, originality, quality and ethical assessment.

03 Peer Review

Independent double-blind expert review.

04 Decision

Editorial evaluation and final decision.

05 Publication

Production, proofing, DOI and publication.

Editorial Workflow

From Submission to Publication

Each manuscript progresses through a defined sequence of administrative, editorial, peer-review, decision, and production stages. Responsibility is assigned at each stage to support accountability and consistency.

01

Manuscript Receipt & Acknowledgment

The submission is logged, checked for completeness, assigned a Manuscript ID, and acknowledged to the corresponding author.

Responsible Secretary / PRO
02

Initial Screening

The manuscript is assessed for journal-scope alignment, relevance, novelty, obvious methodological concerns, and plagiarism or inappropriate AI-use red flags.

Responsible Editor-in-Chief
03

Editorial Assignment

Suitable manuscripts are assigned for processing and allocated to an Editorial Board Member or relevant Section Editor according to subject expertise.

Responsible Managing Editor
04

Reviewer Selection

Two to three independent reviewers or Section Editors with relevant expertise are identified, screened for conflicts of interest, and invited to review.

Responsible Editorial Board Member
05

Double-Blind Peer Review

Reviewers assess scientific validity, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and overall suitability, and provide structured recommendations.

Responsible Peer Reviewers / Section Editors
06

Editorial Evaluation of Reviews

Reviewer reports are assessed for academic quality, validity, consistency, constructiveness, and completeness before an editorial recommendation is prepared.

Responsible Editorial Board Member & Managing Editor
07

Final Editorial Decision

The manuscript, peer-review reports, revision history, and editorial recommendation are considered before the final publication decision is made and communicated.

Responsible Editor-in-Chief
08

Technical & Production Review

Accepted manuscripts undergo final formatting, figure and table checks, reference verification, DOI preparation, and author proof review.

Responsible Technical & Production Editor
09

Publication & Metadata Registration

The final article is published on the TORGJ website, promoted through designated channels, and its DOI metadata is registered with Crossref.

Responsible Technical & Production Editor
Acknowledgment Within 2–3 Working Days

Complete submissions are acknowledged and assigned a Manuscript ID.

Peer Review Approximately 2–3 Weeks

Reviewers are generally expected to complete structured double-blind review within this period.

Final Decision Editor-in-Chief

Final acceptance, revision, or rejection decisions remain the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief.

Timelines may vary

Editorial timelines are indicative rather than guaranteed. Complex manuscripts, reviewer availability, substantial revisions, ethical queries, or additional methodological assessment may extend the overall review period.

Stages 01–03

Submission, Screening & Editorial Assignment

The first stages determine whether a submission is complete, relevant to TORGJ, sufficiently prepared for further evaluation, and ready to enter the peer-review pathway.

Stage 01

Manuscript Receipt & Acknowledgment

Responsible Secretary / PRO

Administrative Receipt & Completeness Check

Manuscripts received through the official TORGJ submission pathway are logged and checked for administrative and technical completeness before being forwarded for editorial screening.

Receive and log the manuscript in the journal’s collaborative manuscript tracking system.
Assign a unique Manuscript ID for editorial tracking and correspondence.
Send an acknowledgment to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the submission.
Check the manuscript and supporting documents against the TORGJ Submission Checklist.
Forward technically complete submissions to the Editor-in-Chief for initial screening.
Target: Acknowledgment within 2–3 working days
Stage Outcome

Complete submission forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, or the author contacted where essential submission materials are missing.

Stage 02

Initial Screening

Responsible Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Suitability Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief conducts an initial assessment to determine whether the manuscript is sufficiently aligned with TORGJ’s scope, quality expectations, ethical standards, and scholarly priorities to proceed further.

Assess alignment with the journal’s surgical and perioperative scope.
Consider the manuscript’s novelty, relevance, and potential scholarly contribution.
Identify obvious methodological or reporting concerns that could prevent peer review.
Review plagiarism, originality, and inappropriate AI-use red flags.
Consider whether additional clarification or preliminary revision is required before further processing.
Possible Outcomes

Proceed to editorial processing, request preliminary minor or major amendments where appropriate, or issue a reasoned desk-rejection decision.

Stage 03

Editorial Assignment

Responsible Managing Editor

Preparing the Manuscript for Peer Review

Manuscripts considered suitable for further evaluation are prepared for peer review and assigned to an Editorial Board Member or appropriate Section Editor according to subject area and expertise.

Confirm scope relevance and overall readiness for the peer-review stage.
Assign the manuscript according to discipline, subject area, and editorial expertise.
Consider workload balance across Editorial Board Members and Section Editors.
Communicate the manuscript assignment, responsibilities, and expected timelines.
Ensure that the editorial file is sufficiently complete before reviewer selection begins.
Stage Outcome

Manuscript assigned to an appropriate Editorial Board Member or Section Editor and ready for independent reviewer selection.

Not Every Submission Proceeds to Peer Review

Manuscripts may be declined during initial screening where they fall outside journal scope, have fundamental methodological or ethical concerns, show significant originality issues, or are not sufficiently developed for external peer review. A reasoned editorial decision should be communicated to the corresponding author.

Review Authors’ Guidelines →
Stages 04–05

Reviewer Selection & Double-Blind Peer Review

Manuscripts that successfully complete editorial screening proceed to independent expert assessment. Reviewer selection is based on subject expertise, independence, absence of relevant conflicts of interest, and the ability to provide a rigorous and constructive evaluation.

Review Model Double-Blind
Reviewer Selection Relevant Subject Expertise
Independence Conflict-of-Interest Assessment
Review Target Approximately 2–3 Weeks
Stage 04

Reviewer Selection

Responsible Editorial Board Member

Selecting Independent Expert Reviewers

Reviewers are selected according to the manuscript’s discipline, subject matter, methodology, and the expertise required for an appropriate scientific assessment.

Identify approximately two to three suitable reviewers or Section Editors with relevant subject expertise.
Assess potential conflicts of interest before issuing a formal review invitation.
Ensure that reviewer selection supports independent and impartial evaluation.
Send the blinded manuscript together with the appropriate TORGJ peer-review materials and review instructions.
Communicate the expected review timeline and requirements for structured feedback.
Identify and invite an alternative reviewer where an invitation is declined, a conflict emerges, or a reviewer becomes unavailable.
Goal: Obtain sufficient independent expert assessment to support an informed editorial decision.
Stage 05

Double-Blind Peer Review

Responsible Peer Reviewers / Section Editors

Independent Scientific Evaluation

Reviewers evaluate the manuscript critically and constructively using the TORGJ peer-review framework, considering its scientific quality, originality, methodological integrity, ethical compliance, clarity, and contribution to the field.

Core Areas of Assessment
01 Scientific Validity
02 Originality & Relevance
03 Methodological Quality
04 Ethical Compliance
05 Results & Interpretation
06 Clarity & Scholarly Presentation
Assess whether the research question, objectives, design, methods, analysis, and conclusions are scientifically appropriate.
Evaluate the originality, relevance, and potential contribution of the work to surgical, perioperative, or related scholarship.
Identify major and minor concerns clearly and provide constructive comments that can guide the authors and editorial team.
Consider whether the manuscript demonstrates appropriate ethical approval, consent, research integrity, and reporting standards where applicable.
Evaluate whether tables, figures, references, results, and conclusions appropriately support the manuscript.
Submit a clear overall recommendation together with sufficiently detailed reasons for that recommendation.

Double-Blind Review

TORGJ uses a double-blind peer-review model in which reviewer and author identities are concealed from one another during the review process. Authors should therefore ensure that manuscripts prepared for review do not unnecessarily reveal author identity.

Double-Blind Peer Review Model
Review Target: Reviewers are generally expected to return their assessment within approximately 2–3 weeks.
Reviewer Recommendation

Possible Peer-Review Recommendations

Reviewer recommendations inform the editorial process but do not themselves constitute the journal’s final publication decision.

Accept Suitable for publication with no substantive revision required.
Minor Revision Limited amendments are required before further consideration.
Major Revision Substantial scientific or editorial amendments are required.
Reject Significant concerns prevent recommendation for publication in the present form.
Confidentiality & Research Integrity

Manuscripts under review are confidential scholarly materials. Reviewers should not share, reproduce, use, or disclose unpublished manuscript content outside the review process. Any potential conflict of interest, ethical concern, suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data-integrity issue, or other research integrity concern identified during review should be reported promptly to the editorial team.

Stages 06–07

Editorial Evaluation, Revision & Final Decision

Peer-review reports are evaluated editorially before recommendations are communicated to authors. Where revision is required, authors are expected to respond systematically before the manuscript proceeds to further assessment and final editorial decision.

Stage 06

Editorial Evaluation of Reviews

Responsible Editorial Board Member & Managing Editor

Review Reports Are Evaluated — Not Simply Forwarded

Completed peer-review reports undergo editorial evaluation to ensure that the feedback is academically appropriate, sufficiently detailed, constructive, consistent with journal standards, and capable of supporting a fair editorial recommendation.

Evaluation 01 Academic Assessment

The assigned Editorial Board Member or Section Editor considers the scientific substance of the reviewer reports and the manuscript as a whole.

Evaluation 02 Editorial Quality Control

The Managing Editor reviews the reports and recommendation for completeness, consistency, clarity, and alignment with TORGJ editorial standards.

Review all submitted peer-review reports and recommendations.
Assess the quality, relevance, constructiveness, and completeness of reviewer comments.
Consider areas of agreement or disagreement between reviewers.
Determine whether further expert review or clarification is required where reviewer recommendations differ substantially.
Prepare an editorial recommendation based on the manuscript and the totality of the available review evidence.
Communicate appropriate reviewer and editorial comments to the corresponding author where revision is required.
Author Revision

Responding to Reviewer & Editorial Comments

Where revision is requested, authors should address the comments carefully and transparently. A revised manuscript should be accompanied by a clear response explaining how each substantive point has been addressed or, where a suggested change has not been made, providing an appropriate scholarly justification.

01 Review every reviewer and editorial comment
02 Revise the manuscript where appropriate
03 Provide a clear point-by-point response
04 Explain respectfully where a recommendation is not adopted
Stage 07

Final Editorial Decision

Responsible Editor-in-Chief

Final Assessment of the Manuscript

The Editor-in-Chief considers the manuscript, reviewer reports, editorial assessments, author responses, and revision history before determining the appropriate final editorial outcome.

Review the manuscript together with relevant peer-review and editorial recommendations.
Consider the adequacy of author responses and revisions where amendments were requested.
Determine whether substantive scientific, methodological, ethical, or editorial concerns remain unresolved.
Request additional review or clarification where this is necessary to support a sound editorial decision.
Make the final editorial decision and ensure that the corresponding author is formally notified.
Decision Accept

The manuscript is accepted and can proceed to final technical and production processing.

Decision Minor Revision

Limited amendments remain necessary before final acceptance can be considered.

Decision Major Revision

Substantial revision is required before the manuscript can be reconsidered.

Decision Reject

The manuscript is not accepted for publication following editorial assessment.

Reviewer Recommendation ≠ Final Editorial Decision

Peer reviewers provide expert recommendations to inform editorial judgment. Their recommendations are advisory. The final decision regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection remains the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief, taking the complete editorial record into consideration.

Editorial Queries & Appeals

Authors who believe that a material error, misunderstanding, or procedural concern affected an editorial decision may raise the matter through the appropriate TORGJ editorial channel. An appeal should provide a clear scholarly basis and should not consist solely of disagreement with reviewer or editorial judgment.

Stages 08–09

Production, Proofing, DOI Registration & Publication

Once a manuscript has been formally accepted, it enters the journal’s production pathway for final technical checks, formatting, author proof review, DOI registration, publication, and dissemination.

Stage 08

Technical & Production Review

Responsible Technical & Production Editor

Preparing the Accepted Manuscript for Publication

The accepted manuscript undergoes final technical and production checks to ensure consistency, readability, completeness, accurate presentation, and alignment with TORGJ publication standards.

Confirm that the final accepted manuscript and required publication documents are complete.
Apply journal formatting and production requirements consistently throughout the article.
Check author names, affiliations, corresponding-author details, and ORCID information where supplied.
Review tables, figures, captions, numbering, and placement for production quality.
Verify references, citation presentation, and DOI information where available.
Prepare the article for final proof review and DOI registration.
Check Author & Affiliation Details
Check Tables & Figures
Check References & Citations
Check Journal Formatting
Check Ethics & Disclosure Statements
Check DOI & Publication Metadata

Author Proof Review

The corresponding author may receive a publication proof for final review before release. Proof review is intended primarily to identify production, typographical, factual, or presentation errors rather than to introduce substantial new scientific content after acceptance.

Check author names and affiliations carefully
Verify tables, figures, references and text
Return essential corrections promptly
Stage 09

Publication & Metadata Registration

Responsible Technical & Production Editor

Creating the Final Scholarly Record

Following completion of final production checks, the article is published on TORGJ and the relevant publication metadata are prepared and registered through the journal’s DOI infrastructure.

Publish the final article on the TORGJ journal platform.
Assign and activate the article’s Digital Object Identifier (DOI).
Register DOI metadata with Crossref according to the journal’s publishing workflow.
Ensure publication metadata accurately reflect the article title, authors, journal information, and DOI.
Make the published article openly accessible in accordance with the journal’s open-access and copyright policy.
Support dissemination through relevant TORGJ and TORG communication channels.
Access Open Access
Licence CC BY 4.0
Identifier Article DOI
Metadata Crossref Registration

TORGJ Journal DOI

The journal DOI is 10.64573/torgj. Individual published articles receive their own DOI as part of the final publication process.

View Journal DOI →
DOI Registration Is Not the Same as Database Indexing

Crossref registration provides persistent DOI identification and scholarly metadata infrastructure. Inclusion in individual bibliographic or citation databases is governed separately by the criteria and assessment processes of those services. TORGJ therefore distinguishes DOI and metadata registration from external database indexing.

Editorial Summary

Decisions, Timelines & Editorial Standards

TORGJ applies a structured editorial process while recognising that the requirements of individual manuscripts may differ. Scientific quality, research integrity, independent peer review, and editorial judgment remain central throughout the publication pathway.

Editorial Decision Accept

Manuscript proceeds to final technical and production processing.

Editorial Decision Minor Revision

Limited amendments are required before final consideration.

Editorial Decision Major Revision

Substantial revision is required and the manuscript remains subject to reassessment.

Editorial Decision Reject

Manuscript is not accepted for publication following editorial assessment.

Indicative Editorial Timelines

These targets support efficient manuscript handling, but they should not be interpreted as guaranteed publication or decision deadlines.

Receipt 2–3 Working Days

Target for acknowledgment and assignment of a Manuscript ID to complete submissions.

Peer Review Approximately 2–3 Weeks

Indicative reviewer turnaround after acceptance of the review invitation.

Overall Process Manuscript Dependent

Revision cycles, reviewer availability, methodological review, and ethical queries may affect the total timeline.

Quality Takes Priority Over Speed

TORGJ aims to process manuscripts efficiently while maintaining appropriate scientific and ethical scrutiny. Additional review, statistical or methodological evaluation, requests for clarification, substantial revisions, or research-integrity concerns may extend the editorial process.

Related Journal Policies

Read the Supporting Policies

Editorial Enquiries

For questions regarding an existing manuscript, editorial procedure, or publication requirements, contact the TORGJ Editorial Office.

Contact Editorial Office →
Submit to TORGJ

Ready to Begin the Editorial Process?

Review the Authors’ Guidelines and ensure that your manuscript and supporting documents are complete before submitting through the official TORGJ manuscript submission form.