Peer Review Policy

The Canadian Journal of Architecture uses double-anonymous peer review for all Research Articles, Critical Reviews and Documented Case Studies. Neither authors nor reviewers learn each other’s identity at any stage.

Initial Editorial Assessment

Every submission is first assessed by an editor for fit with the journal’s scope, compliance with the Author Guidelines, and adherence to the journal’s policy on generative artificial intelligence. Manuscripts are also screened for textual similarity using Turnitin at this stage. Manuscripts that fall outside the scope, that have not been anonymised, or that appear to have been prepared with generative artificial intelligence are returned or declined without external review.

External Review

Manuscripts sent forward are reviewed by at least two independent reviewers selected for expertise in the subject of the manuscript. Reviewers are asked to assess the clarity of the research question, the soundness and transparency of the method, the quality of the evidence — including drawn and photographic evidence — and the significance of the contribution.

Reviewers act as advisers; the handling editor makes the decision.

Decisions

Editorial decisions are: accept, minor revisions, major revisions, or decline. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers. Where a manuscript addresses an important problem but falls short of publishable form, the editors say so specifically and constructively, identifying what would need to change, rather than issuing a generic rejection.

Anonymity

Authors are responsible for anonymising their manuscripts before submission, following the instructions in the Author Guidelines. Reviewers are asked not to attempt to identify authors. In fieldwork-based and site-specific research, complete anonymity is sometimes impossible; authors should anonymise what can be anonymised and note any unavoidable disclosure in their message to the editors.

Confidentiality and the Use of AI in Review

Reviewers treat manuscripts as confidential documents. Uploading a manuscript, in whole or in part, to a generative artificial intelligence tool or any external service is a breach of confidentiality and is prohibited. Review reports must be the reviewer’s own work.

Timing

The journal aims to complete initial editorial assessment within three weeks of submission and to reach a first decision within twelve weeks. These are targets, not guarantees; authors are informed if review is delayed.