Peer-Review Process

Stage 1: Initial Evaluation

Upon submission, the manuscript will undergo an Initial Evaluation to determine whether it meets the journal's submission standards. This includes:

  • Submission Fee: Free (0 IDR). There are no preliminary submission or processing fees required to submit a manuscript to Saksama: Jurnal Sastra.

  • Author Declaration Form: Authors must fill out the Author Declaration Form, confirming the originality, authorship, and ethical standards of the work.

  • Verify Submission Format: Ensure the manuscript aligns with the journal’s specific submission guidelines, including formatting, required documentation, and the Saksama article template.

  • Plagiarism Check: The editorial team will use similarity-checking tools (e.g., Turnitin) to ensure the manuscript is free of plagiarism and academic misconduct.

  • Document Completeness: Ensure all required sections are included in the manuscript (e.g., title, abstract, keywords, introduction, methods, findings, discussion, conclusion, and references).

This evaluation will be conducted by the Editor-in-Chief (EIC), Managing Editor, or an Editorial Assistant. Based on this evaluation, a decision will be made to either:

  • Reject the manuscript (Desk Rejection).

  • Send it to a Handling Editor for further review.

Stage 2: Handling Editor Evaluation At this stage, the Handling Editor will conduct a thorough evaluation of the manuscript’s academic substance, considering the following criteria:

  • Relevance: Evaluate the manuscript’s relevance to current literary discourse, checking if it aligns with the journal's scope (textual analysis, intermedial studies, comparative studies, and popular narratives).

  • Argumentation & Theoretical Framework: Review the manuscript’s analytical arguments, ensuring they are sophisticated, well-structured, and accurately apply relevant literary theories (e.g., structural, post-structural, postmodern, or postcolonial).

  • Innovative Contribution: Assess whether the manuscript offers new perspectives, critiques, or interpretations of the discussed literary works or media.

  • Methodological Rigor: Check for adherence to accepted humanities research methods (e.g., close reading, comparative analysis, cross-media studies).

  • Adherence to Citation Standards: Ensure citations strictly comply with the APA (American Psychological Association) 7th Edition style.

  • Journal Audience Compatibility: Ensure the writing style, complexity, and content are appropriate for the journal’s target audience of literary scholars, researchers, and students.

Possible decisions at this stage:

  • Reject the manuscript.

  • Request preliminary revisions from the author.

  • Send to Peer Reviewers (Double-Blind Review).

Stage 3: Double-Blind Peer Review If the manuscript passes the Handling Editor's evaluation, it will enter the Double-Blind Peer Review process. The manuscript will be reviewed by at least two anonymous expert reviewers (or more if needed). Reviewers will evaluate:

  • Relevance and Originality: Does the manuscript bring new insights or perspectives to literary theory, narrative analysis, or cross-media studies?

  • Clarity and Structure: Are the literary critiques and arguments presented clearly and logically?

  • References: Are references robust, properly cited according to APA 7th Edition, and adequately incorporate recent secondary sources?

  • Academic Impact: Does the work contribute meaningfully to the field of literature and cultural studies?

Reviewers assess the manuscript’s quality and provide detailed feedback, including suggestions for revisions or recommendations for acceptance/rejection. Reviewers may recommend one of the following decisions:

  • Accept Submission: No further revisions required.

  • Revisions Required: Minor revisions needed before resubmission.

  • Resubmit for Review: Major revisions required; the manuscript will be reviewed again after significant structural or theoretical updates.

  • Resubmit Elsewhere: The manuscript does not fit the specific scope of Saksama and should be submitted to another journal.

  • Decline Submission: The manuscript is rejected based on significant analytical or structural flaws.

Stage 4: Post-Review Evaluation by Handling Editor After receiving the reviewers' feedback, the Handling Editor will:

  • Assess the Reviewer's Recommendations: Reviewers’ comments will be consolidated, and the manuscript will be returned to the author for the necessary revisions.

  • Re-evaluate the Manuscript: Upon receiving the revised manuscript from the author, the handling editor may evaluate the changes or send it for another round of peer review if major revisions were requested.

The handling editor compiles all feedback and prepares a decision recommendation for the Editorial Board. The manuscript must be successfully reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers before the final decision recommendation can be made.

Stage 5: Final Decision by Editor-in-Chief Once the Handling Editor is satisfied with the revisions and the manuscript has passed peer review, the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) or the Editorial Board will make the final decision. The possible decisions are:

  • Accept: The manuscript is officially accepted for publication and will be assigned to an upcoming volume and issue (published in June or December).

  • Reject/Decline: The manuscript is rejected and returned to the author.

Stage 6: Notification and Payment If the manuscript is accepted, the author will be formally notified and will receive an APC (Article Processing Charge) invoice. Payment of the APC must be completed before the manuscript can proceed to the Copy Editing stage.

Stage 7: Copy Editing Once the APC is settled, the author will work with the editorial team to finalize the manuscript. This stage involves standardizing the language, fixing grammatical issues, checking formatting consistency, and resolving any final administrative details.

Stage 8: Layout and Proofreading The manuscript will be formatted into the official Saksama: Jurnal Sastra publication template by the Layout Editor (galley creation). Afterward, the Proofreading stage will take place. The author will be asked to review the final PDF galley to ensure there are no typographical errors before it is locked for publishing.

Stage 9: Publication After the final proofreading approval, the manuscript is ready for publication. The accepted article will be published digitally as an Open Access article in the designated June or December issue.