The peer review procedure of manuscripts submitted to the collection of scientific papers “Pedagogical Almanac” is aimed at ensuring a high scientific, theoretical, methodological, and ethical standard of publications.

1. Type of Peer Review

The collection of scientific papers “Pedagogical Almanac” applies a double-blind peer review process:

• reviewers do not know the personal data of the authors;
• authors do not know the personal data of the reviewers.

2. Preliminary Selection of Manuscripts

Scientific articles submitted to the editorial office are checked for compliance with the thematic profile of the journal, formatting requirements, and submission guidelines. Only manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are accepted for peer review.

3. Initial Expert Evaluation

The initial evaluation of the manuscript is carried out by the Editor-in-Chief or the Deputy Editor-in-Chief. At this stage, the compliance of the material with the scientific profile of the journal, the principles of academic integrity, and the general criteria of a scientific publication is determined.

4. Manuscript Anonymization

If the manuscript meets the journal requirements, the material is transferred to the technical editor for assigning a registration code and removing any information that may identify the author or authors.

5. Sending for Peer Review

The anonymized manuscript is sent to:

• a member of the editorial board responsible for the relevant scientific field;
• an external reviewer.

Ukrainian and international scholars specializing in the relevant field are involved in the external peer review process. The reviewer receives an invitation from the editorial office, the anonymized manuscript, and a standard review form.

Storage of Reviews

Signed reviews in paper or electronic form are stored by the editorial office for three years from the date of publication of the corresponding issue of the journal.

6. Criteria for Manuscript Evaluation

During the review process, the following aspects are evaluated:

• relevance of the study — significance of the work for science and practice;
• literature review — compliance of the reference base with the current state of research;
• research aim and objectives — clarity and correctness of formulation;
• methodology — validity of the selected research methods and materials;
• research results — reliability, logic, and evidence of the obtained results;
• scientific novelty and practical significance — level of originality and applicability of the results;
• conclusions — consistency with the obtained results and stated objectives;
• title of the article — correspondence to the content of the study;
• article formatting — structure, logical presentation, academic style, and quality of material presentation.

7. Decisions Based on the Review Results

Based on the evaluation results, the reviewer may choose one of the following decisions:

1. accept for publication without revisions;
2. accept after minor revisions;
3. revise and resubmit for repeated review;
4. substantially revise the manuscript;
5. reject the article.

8. Review Period

The peer review period is up to two weeks from the date the reviewer receives the manuscript. If additional expertise is required, the review period may be extended, and the author will be informed accordingly.

9. Notification of Authors and Revision

The decision of the editorial board is sent to the author or authors. If revisions are required, the authors receive the review text without any personal information about the reviewer.

The revised manuscript may be sent for repeated peer review. Revision of the manuscript does not guarantee its acceptance for publication; in case of insufficient consideration of reviewers’ comments, the manuscript may be rejected.

10. Final Decision

The final decision regarding the recommendation of the article for publication is made by the editorial board taking into account the reviewers’ conclusions, plagiarism check results, compliance of the manuscript with the journal profile, and publication ethics requirements.

11. Publication or Rejection of the Manuscript

If the article is accepted, the editorial office prepares the material for publication according to the editorial and publishing process. In case of rejection, the author receives a reasoned notification; however, the editorial office reserves the right not to engage in further discussion regarding the final decision.

Important: peer review in the collection of scientific papers “Pedagogical Almanac” is carried out in compliance with the principles of academic integrity, confidentiality, impartiality, and responsibility of all participants in the editorial process.