Review Model | Peer review policy | Appealing an editorial decision

Review Model

Peer review policy

All articles published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology go through a double-anonymised peer review process in which the identity of the reviewer and the author(s) are always concealed from both parties. To maintain this anonymity, we ask that any information or references that could be used to identify you, including the acknowledgments, are removed from your manuscript before you submit. There will be an opportunity after peer review to reintroduce elements such as acknowledgments.

The journal's editors and independent reviewers evaluate manuscripts on a range of criteria, including relevance, originality, depth of research, and methodological rigor. We aim to provide clear and constructive feedback to all authors.

Articles are first assessed for suitability, novelty, and scholarly significance by the Editorial Office who may consult with the Editorial Board. Not all submissions will reach the peer review process. If judged appropriate, the work is then sent to outside readers. Authors can expect one of four possible assessments if their work is sent out for peer review: Accept for publication in JRA; Accept with some revisions; Revise and resubmit; Reject.

Appealing an editorial decision

If the Journal of Roman Archaeology declines to publish a paper, authors may appeal an editorial decision by making a written application to the Editorial team (at [email protected]) specifying the reason for their appeal.

Specific reasons must be given for the appeal (such as, if the author believes that a wrong decision was made due to a reviewer’s misunderstanding of the data or its interpretation) and supporting evidence must be provided.

The Editors will provide acknowledgement that the appeal has been received but please note that the assessment of new submissions takes priority over appeals, so it may take a substantial period of time for the journal to reach a conclusion about your appeal.

The appeal will be considered by the handling editor in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief and other members of the Editorial team where appropriate. In case of dispute, the Editor-in-Chief’s decision will be final.

Unless in exceptional circumstances, only one appeal will be considered per manuscript.

Authors who have submitted an appeal and are awaiting an outcome should not submit their manuscript for publication elsewhere until they have notified this journal that they wish to withdraw their manuscript from consideration.