Review Criteria

Review Criteria

At the SWS Scholarly Society Vienna, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence and integrity in our journals, including Societies & Sustainability (SAS). To ensure the quality of the research we publish, we have established comprehensive review criteria that guide our reviewers in evaluating submitted manuscripts.

1. Originality and Innovation

  • Novelty: The manuscript should present new and significant findings that advance the field. The research should provide original insights, approaches, or solutions.
  • Contribution to Knowledge: The work should contribute to the existing body of knowledge, filling gaps, challenging existing theories, or providing new perspectives.

2. Scientific Rigor and Methodology

  • Research Design: The study should be well-designed and methodologically sound. The research question should be clearly defined, and the study should be appropriately designed to answer that question.
  • Data Collection and Analysis: Data should be collected and analyzed using appropriate and robust methods. The analysis should be thorough, and the results should be presented clearly and accurately.
  • Reproducibility: The methods and results should be described in sufficient detail to allow other researchers to reproduce the study.

3. Clarity and Quality of Presentation

  • Organization and Structure: The manuscript should be well-organized and logically structured. Each section should be clearly defined and contribute to the overall coherence of the paper.
  • Writing Quality: The manuscript should be clearly and concisely written, free from grammatical errors and jargon. The language should be accessible to a broad academic audience.
  • Figures and Tables: Figures, tables, and other graphical elements should be well-designed and effectively used to enhance the presentation of the research.

4. Relevance and Impact

  • Significance: The research should address important questions or problems within the field. The significance of the findings should be clearly articulated.
  • Broader Impact: The potential impact of the research beyond the academic community should be considered, including its relevance to practitioners, policymakers, and the general public.
  • Alignment with Journal Scope: The manuscript should align with the aims and scope of the journal to which it is submitted.

5. Ethical Considerations

  • Ethical Standards: The research must adhere to the highest ethical standards. This includes obtaining appropriate approvals, such as institutional review board (IRB) approval, and ensuring the ethical treatment of human or animal subjects.
  • Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Reviewers should ensure that any such disclosures are appropriate and that they do not affect the integrity of the research.
  • Transparency and Honesty: The manuscript should be transparent about the limitations of the study and any potential sources of bias. Any issues related to research integrity, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, should be identified and addressed.

6. Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  • Alignment with SDGs: For journals with a specific focus on sustainability, such as Societies & Sustainability (SAS), the research should demonstrate alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The manuscript should articulate how the research contributes to sustainable practices, policies, or knowledge.

7. References and Citation

  • Appropriate Citations: The manuscript should include a comprehensive and relevant list of references. All sources of data, ideas, or previous research should be appropriately cited.
  • Contextualization: The manuscript should place its findings within the context of existing research, highlighting how it builds upon or diverges from previous work.

8. Plagiarism Check

  • Originality Verification: All manuscripts submitted to our journals undergo a rigorous plagiarism check using reliable software to ensure the originality of the content. Manuscripts containing significant portions of text copied from other works without proper citation will be rejected.
  • Citation and Attribution: Authors must ensure that all sources are appropriately cited and that any reused text is properly attributed. Reviewers should be vigilant in identifying potential plagiarism and notify the editor if they suspect any issues.
  • Ethical Compliance: Authors found to have engaged in plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary actions, which may include retraction of published work, notification to their institution, and a ban on future submissions to our journals.

By adhering to these review criteria, we aim to ensure that the research published in our journals is of the highest quality, contributing valuable knowledge and insights to the academic community and beyond. Our reviewers play a crucial role in this process, and their diligent, fair, and thorough evaluations are essential to maintaining our standards of excellence.