Peer Review Process

Peer Review Process

Leisure Management and Marketing (LMM) employs a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the scholarly quality, methodological soundness, and academic integrity of all published work. In this process, the identities of both the authors and reviewers are concealed from one another throughout the review.

Overview

All manuscripts submitted to LMM undergo an initial editorial screening to assess fit with the journal scope, compliance with submission guidelines, and overall quality. Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent to a minimum of two independent expert reviewers. The final publication decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief, informed by the reviewers’ evaluations.

Process Steps

  1. Submission — Author submits manuscript via the online submission system. All identifying information must be removed from the manuscript file.
  2. Editorial Screening — The Editor-in-Chief or a handling editor reviews the submission for scope fit, adherence to formatting guidelines, and academic merit. Manuscripts that do not meet minimum standards are desk-rejected at this stage.
  3. Reviewer Assignment — Eligible manuscripts are assigned to at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers are selected to avoid conflicts of interest.
  4. Double-Blind Review — Reviewers evaluate the manuscript without knowledge of the authors’ identities. Authors similarly do not know the identity of the reviewers. Reviewers assess originality, theoretical contribution, methodological rigor, clarity, and relevance.
  5. Editorial Decision — Based on reviewer reports, the editor issues one of the following decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. All decisions are communicated to authors with reviewer comments.
  6. Revision — If revisions are required, authors are asked to address all reviewer comments and submit a point-by-point response letter. Revised manuscripts may undergo a second round of review.
  7. Final Decision and Production — Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, typesetting, and publication.

Review Criteria

Reviewers are asked to evaluate manuscripts on the following criteria:

  • Originality and contribution to the field
  • Clarity of research questions and objectives
  • Appropriateness and rigor of methodology
  • Quality of analysis and interpretation
  • Alignment with journal scope and audience
  • Clarity, organization, and writing quality
  • Proper citation of relevant prior work

Timeline

LMM aims to provide authors with an initial editorial decision within 4 weeks of submission. The full peer review process, including reviewer evaluation and editorial decision, is typically completed within 8–12 weeks. Authors are notified promptly at each stage of the process.

Ethical Standards

LMM is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. Reviewers are expected to maintain confidentiality, declare any conflicts of interest, and provide constructive, unbiased assessments. Authors are expected to confirm that submitted work is original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere. The journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).