Peer Review

1. Submission

  • Authors submit manuscripts covering themes in literature, creative arts, or related fields, especially with relevance to African sociocultural and artistic contexts to umma@udsm.ac.tz

  • Accepted formats include: qualitative research, narrative research, ethnography, content analysis, discourse analysis, surveys, mixed-methods, conceptual/theoretical papers, meta-analyses, critical works, creative pieces (poetry, short fiction), and pictorial artworks.

2. Initial Editorial Screening

  • Editors check whether the manuscript fits the scope of the journal (literature, creative arts, and their intersections with African contexts).

  • Manuscripts outside the scope are declined without review.

  • Those that meet scope requirements proceed to blind peer review.

3. Blind Peer Review

  • Manuscripts are anonymized and sent to reviewers with expertise in the subject area.

  • Reviewers evaluate submissions based on the following criteria:

    1. Significance and relevance to literature and the creative arts.

    2. Appropriateness, clarity, and rigour of methodologies or approaches.

    3. Conceptual or theoretical soundness.

    4. Connection to relevant literature in discussion and implications.

    5. Clarity of writing style and rigour of argumentation.

4. Reviewer Recommendations

Upon evaluation, reviewers provide detailed comments and recommend one of the following:

  • Accept (as is or with minor revisions).

  • Accept conditionally with revisions (editors determine if revisions are acceptable).

  • Revise and resubmit (both editors and original reviewers determine if revisions are acceptable).

  • Reject outright.

5. Editorial Decision

  • Editors consider the reviewers’ reports and make the final decision.

  • Authors are notified of the outcome, along with reviewers’ anonymized feedback to guide revisions (if applicable).

6. Revision & Resubmission (if applicable)

  • Authors revise according to reviewer/editor feedback.

  • Resubmitted manuscripts undergo either editorial check or re-review, depending on the recommendation category.

7. Final Acceptance

  • Once revisions meet the required standard, the manuscript is accepted for publication.

  • Accepted works proceed to copyediting, layout, and publication in the Umma Journal of Contemporary Literature and Creative Arts.