Peer Review Process

To ensure the mathematical rigor, technical validity, and originality of all publications, FOCI enforces a strict Double-Blind Peer Review process.

1. Initial Editorial Triage

Upon submission via email, manuscripts undergo an initial screening by the Editorial Board. Papers will be immediately desk-rejected if they:

• Fall outside the strict scope of Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related advanced technologies.
• Fail to meet our formatting and anonymization guidelines.
• Show evidence of AI-generated prose without underlying human-driven technical architecture or mathematical proof.

2. The Double-Blind System

If a manuscript passes triage, it is sent to at least two independent expert reviewers. "Double-blind" means that the reviewers do not know the identities or affiliations of the authors, and the authors do not know the identities of the reviewers.

Authors must ensure their submitted PDFs are completely scrubbed of identifying metadata, self-citations that reveal identity, and institutional acknowledgments prior to submission.

3. Review Criteria

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

• Algorithmic & Mathematical Rigor: Are the proofs correct? Is the time/space complexity accurately analyzed?
• Reproducibility: Is the system architecture described with enough detail that another engineer could replicate the results?
• Originality: Does this contribute novel knowledge or optimizations to the field?

4. Timeline

As a volunteer-driven NGO, we strive to return the first decision (Accept, Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, or Reject) within 6 to 8 weeks of submission.