Peer Review Policy

The Frontiers in Robotics and Automation journal follows a rigorous peer review policy to ensure the quality, integrity, and relevance of the research it publishes. The peer review process is central to maintaining high academic standards and fostering trust among authors, reviewers, and readers.

The journal typically employs a double-blind or single-blind peer review process. In a double-blind review, both the reviewers and the authors remain anonymous to each other, ensuring impartiality. In a single-blind review, reviewers know the authors' identities, but the authors do not know the reviewers' identities. The chosen approach helps minimize biases and ensures that manuscripts are evaluated solely on their scientific merit.

Reviewers are selected based on their expertise in the manuscript's subject area. The editorial board or associate editors oversee the selection process to ensure that each submission is reviewed by individuals with the appropriate knowledge and experience. The reviewers assess the manuscript’s originality, methodology, relevance, and significance in the field of robotics and automation. They provide detailed feedback, including suggestions for improvements or clarifications, and recommend whether the manuscript should be accepted, revised, or rejected.

The editorial decision-making process is guided by the reviewers’ recommendations but ultimately lies with the editor or editorial board. This ensures that the final decision takes into account both the expert assessments and the journal's standards for quality and scope. Authors are provided with constructive feedback, even if their manuscript is rejected, to help them improve their work.

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the peer review process. Manuscripts under review are treated as confidential documents, and reviewers are required to refrain from discussing them with anyone outside the review process. This protects the integrity of the review and the intellectual property of the authors.

The journal also emphasizes ethical considerations during peer review. Reviewers are expected to disclose any conflicts of interest and decline to review manuscripts where such conflicts exist. Furthermore, any unethical behavior, such as plagiarism or data manipulation, detected during the review process is reported to the editors for investigation.

For more detailed information about the peer review process of the Frontiers in Robotics and Automation, authors and reviewers are encouraged to consult the journal’s website or contact the editorial office directly. The peer review policy reflects the journal's commitment to upholding the highest standards of scholarly communication.