Immediately after you submit

• The platform shows a confirmation page immediately, with your manuscript's internal code (e.g. CJES-2026-DRAFT-0101)
• You receive a confirmation email at your registered address
• Status moves to "Desk review" and enters the Editor-in-Chief's queue
• Every co-author with a registered email also receives an informational notice that they have been listed as an author

The desk-review stage (1–2 weeks)

The Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor screens your paper for:

• Scope — does the topic fit CJES?
• Completeness — are all required files uploaded?
• Integrity — are the COI, ethics, and funding declarations in order?
• Overlap — a plagiarism / duplicate-submission check

Three possible outcomes: send out for peer review · desk reject · request minor fixes before review. All three generate an email to you.

Under peer review (4–6 weeks)

• At least 2 double-blind reviewers are invited
• Reviewers only see the "Anonymised manuscript" (.docx) — they do not see author names, affiliations, or your cover letter
• You do not see your reviewers' identities — not before, during, or after the review
• When the last accepted reviewer submits their report, status moves automatically to "Decision pending" and you receive the editor's decision email once it is made

Emails you can expect from CJES

The platform sends only transactional emails — no marketing, no unnecessary reminders. You will receive:

• Submission confirmation (immediate)
• If desk-rejected — a decision email with the reasoning
• If sent out for review — NO immediate email; please wait for the decision
• When a decision is made — the decision email (Accept · Minor revisions · Major revisions · Reject) with the editor's letter and the anonymised reviewer reports

You can also check live status any time via your submission page (/submit).

When and how to nudge

• Average time from submission to first decision is 6–8 weeks
• Please do not nudge before 8 weeks have passed — reviewers are working and an early nudge can slow things down
• If 8 weeks have passed without a decision, email [email protected] politely with your manuscript's internal code
• The Editor-in-Chief will respond within 3–5 working days to explain the current state

Confidentiality while under review

• Do not post your manuscript to a preprint server (SSRN, EdArXiv, etc.) after submitting to CJES without telling us first
• If you suspect you know who one of your reviewers is, do not contact them about the paper — that breaches the double-blind contract
• Do not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it is under review at CJES
• If you need to withdraw your submission, email the editorial office so the paper is cleanly closed in the system

Related guides

• Workflow

  Submission process

  What to prepare before submitting, the stages your manuscript will move through, and the timelines you can expect at each step.

• Guidelines

  Author guidelines

  Manuscript structure, formatting, reference style, and specific requirements for each article type accepted by CJES.

• Fees

  Publication charges

  CJES is a diamond open-access journal — authors pay no charges of any kind, and readers access all articles freely. There are no APCs, no submission fees, and no hidden charges.

• Templates

  Manuscript templates

  Download pre-formatted Word templates for every CJES article type. The templates include the required structure and font choices for both Khmer and English.

• Workflow

  Preparing a revision

  How to respond to reviewer comments, format a point-by-point response letter, use Word Track Changes correctly, and what to do if you disagree with a reviewer.

• Workflow

  Author proof review

  After acceptance, the final gate before publication is your author proof. What to check, which corrections are allowed, which are not, and the timeline.

• Workflow

  Online First and Issue assignment

  What Online First means, when your article receives volume/issue/page numbers, how to cite it, and how to promote and share it.