SUBMISSION

The Pertanika Journal of Counsellor Education & Counselling Psychology uses both Malay and English as the official languages on its website.

The publication frequency of the Pertanika Journal of Counsellor Education and Counselling Psychology is two (2) times a year, namely in April and August in an open access format. 

Reciprocal Contribution in the Review Process

Reviewing journal manuscripts is an important professional practice and contributes significantly to the advancement of knowledge in the relevant field. Therefore, authors who submit manuscripts to the Pertanika Journal of Counsellor Education and Counselling Psychology are generally expected to reciprocate this contribution by accepting invitations to serve as reviewers for the journal.

Double-Blind Peer Review

This journal practices a double-blind peer review system, where the identities of both authors and reviewers are kept completely confidential. This process is a key element of the scientific publishing system and the dissemination of knowledge.

Reviewers are experts in relevant fields appointed by the Editor-in-Chief to objectively evaluate research manuscripts. The aim is to strengthen the quality of reporting and to identify manuscripts that are relevant and of high quality for publication in the Pertanika Journal of Counsellor Education and Counselling Psychology.

A complete manuscript will undergo a double-blind review process with the following guidelines:

• Reviewers must conduct the evaluation fairly, ethically, and professionally.
  
  

• Reviewers are not permitted to make comments of a personal nature about the authors.
  
  

• Each review must be accompanied by strong justification.
  
  

• Reviews should be systematically organized to help clarify the content of the manuscript.
  
  

• Criticism should be constructive and aimed at improving the quality of writing.
  
  

Quality of Reviews

Every manuscript submitted to the Pertanika Journal of Counsellor Education and Counselling Psychology will first undergo an initial screening by the Editorial Board to determine whether its content has the potential to interest the target readership. Manuscripts that comply with the guidelines and are well-structured will proceed to the peer review stage, where one or two reviewers will be appointed. In certain cases, manuscripts may be referred to subject-matter experts, such as in statistics or specific techniques, when more in-depth evaluation is required.

The quality of reviews, along with other performance aspects of each reviewer, will be evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief to ensure that the journal maintains the highest standards of quality. These evaluations will serve as the basis for considering reappointment to the Editorial Board or future invitations to review. Reviewer performance records are confidential and accessible only to the Editor-in-Chief. Reviewers must also avoid any actions or statements that could reveal their identity to the authors of the manuscript under review or previously reviewed.

Reviewers are encouraged to provide recommendations for the manuscript. However, the final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief, particularly in cases where reviewers’ opinions differ. Therefore, reviewer reports will serve as the primary reference for the Editor-in-Chief in making an appropriate decision.

All reviewers will be informed of the expectations of their role, and the Editor-in-Chief will endeavor to provide support to enhance review quality. Evaluation of review quality, reviewer performance, and other related aspects will be conducted regularly and systematically by the Editor-in-Chief.