The following steps are followed in the peer-review process of a manuscript sent to ISTJ.

In order to send manuscripts to ISTJ, authors first sign in to the DergiPark system from their own accounts, and then they can start the article submission process to ISTJ by clicking https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/istj. Authors must prepare the manuscript in accordance with the ISTJ Article Writing Template (click to download the ISTJ Article Writing Template), and send it by uploading all the requested attachments to the system together with the article, complete and signed.

All the responsibility for similarity belongs to the authors. The main criterion in the similarity rate is that authors know the rules of citation and comply with these rules. Even if the similarity rate is 1%, if the citation is not done in accordance with the rules, plagiarism may occur. Therefore, the citation rules must be known by authors and applied carefully (click to learn about APA 7 citation.).

Within the scope of the cooperation between ISTJ, DergiPark, and intihal.net, a similarity report can be obtained free of charge for article applications. Accordingly, a similarity report is prepared, and authors are notified of the result by e-mail. The submission process is completed when the report's result is announced.

Articles that are not original, up-to-date, suitable for the ISTJ target audience, within the scope of ISTJ subjects, and do not contribute to the field are returned to authors by the ISTJ EIC without preliminary review and without writing a reason for rejection. The ISTJ EIC has full authority to reject a manuscript submitted to ISTJ without preliminary review.

Qualified manuscripts that are original, up-to-date, thought to contribute to the field within the scope of ISTJ subjects, and not previously published or under review in another journal for the publication are accepted at ISTJ for preliminary review.

Each manuscript accepted for review is first scanned by the ISTJ Copy Editor once within a maximum of 10 days for compliance with the ISTJ Article Writing Template. If there are any deficiencies or errors in the article template, the responsible author is asked to correct these deficiencies and errors within 7 days at most. If the necessary changes are not made, the author may be given an additional 5 days. If the author does not make the necessary changes during this period, the manuscript will be rejected and will not be processed again in the same publication period.

The manuscript that complies with the ISTJ Article Writing Template is reviewed comprehensively by either the ISTJ EIC or an ISTJ Subject Editor familiar with the research topic of the manuscript in terms of originality, methodology, importance of the research topic, contribution to the field, and suitability for the scope of the journal. At the same time, the manuscript is sent to the ISTJ Statistical Editor to determine the accuracy of the statistical test methods and statistical findings used in the article. This evaluation is expected to be completed within 15 days. If authors are requested to make any corrections at this stage, the authors and the related editors are given 15 days for each correction and the responsibilities of the procedures are expected to be fulfilled within this period. The article, which receives a positive report from the control of the ISTJ EIC or the ISTJ Subject Editor and the ISTJ Statistical Editor (when necessary), is then submitted to the review of two reviewers who have expertise in the subject and have at least a doctoral degree.

The reviewing process is conducted confidentially by the ISTJ EIC or the ISTJ Subject Editor authorized by the ISTJ EIC within the framework of the double-blind peer review model. The reviewer is requested to state his/her views and opinions about the manuscript he/she has reviewed both in the text and on the online review form. The review is requested to explain his/her positive or negative opinion about the manuscript he/she has reviewed in at least 100 words. The author is given the right to object and defend his/her opinions if he/she does not agree with the reviewer's opinions. The ISTJ EIC or authorized editors ensure mutual communication between the author and reviewers, while maintaining confidentiality. If one of the reviewers expresses a negative opinion, the article is sent to a third reviewer or may be returned to the author without sending it to a third referee. Manuscripts can be published with a positive decision by at least two reviewers.

Reviewers are expected to complete their manuscript reviews within 30 days at the latest. If reviewers request corrections to the manuscript they have reviewed, the relevant reports are sent to authors and the manuscript is requested to be corrected as requested. The author is expected to complete the corrections given to him/her within 15 days. Reviewers who want to see the correction are also expected to approve the correction or send it back for correction within 15 days. This is how it works until the review process is completed.

During the reviewing process phase, reviewers are expected to make a review about the manuscript by paying attention to the following points:
1. Is there new and important information in the manuscript that can contribute to the field?
2.Does the abstract reflect the content of the manuscript?
3. Is the method of the manuscript determined correctly?
4.Are the author's comments and conclusions supported by the findings?
5.Are sufficient references from studies on similar subjects cited?
6.Is the level of academic language quality appropriate?

The accuracy of the academic language usage level, spelling rules, grammar, and punctuation marks in the manuscript whose reviewing process is completed is reviewed by the ISTJ Turkish and English Language Editors within 10 days at the latest. If there are any errors, authors are asked to correct them. In these corrections, both the ISTJ Language Editors and the responsible author are given separate periods of 10 days each, and the process continues like this until it is completed.

The ISTJ Editorial Board makes the publication decision after all corrections made by authors are in line with the requests of the editors and reviewers have been completed. Corrections may also be requested from authors in line with the requests of the ISTJ Editorial Board Members. The layout of the manuscript, which is decided to be published by the ISTJ Editorial Board unanimously or by majority vote, is done by the ISTJ Layout Editor.

The final reading of the manuscript, the completed layout, is done by the ISTJ EIC or the ISTJ Assistant Editor. After the final reading phase, the article is published sequentially according to acceptance date, with equal distribution of different subtopics in the current issue.