HSI Journal Submission and Publication Process

We invite authors to submit manuscripts exclusively through our online submission system. Please use the Login tab [Click Here ] available on the journal's homepage at hsijournal.ug.edu.gh to access the system. All submissions must represent original work that has not been previously published and is not simultaneously under consideration by any other journal.

(i)    Pre-Submission and Account Creation: Before submitting your article, authors must refer to the “Preparing a manuscript” section on the journal homepage and strictly follow the instructions for manuscript preparation and submission. These guidelines detail the required format, style, and ethical standards. New users must register and create an account with the HSI Journal before they can upload a manuscript. All submissions are made exclusively through the journal's online platform. By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to publish under the  CC BY 4.0 licence. No separate licensing agreement is required. 

(ii)    Editorial Assessment and Peer Review. Once a manuscript is submitted, it immediately enters the editorial workflow.
•    Initial Check: The Editorial Office first screens the manuscript for relevance, completeness, and adherence to journal guidelines.
•    Peer Review: Submissions that pass the initial check are sent for a peer-review process. At least two independent experts evaluate the scientific quality, originality, and clarity of the work.
•    Revision: Based on the reviewers' reports, the Editor-in-Chief issues a decision (Accept, Reject, or Revise). If a revision is requested, authors must comprehensively address all reviewer comments. This includes providing a detailed point-by-point response to every concern raised, which must be uploaded alongside the revised manuscript within the specified timeframe.
(iii)    Acceptance, Licensing, and Production: Revised manuscripts are re-evaluated by the reviewers — and, when necessary, by editors — to ensure that all concerns have been satisfactorily addressed.
•    Acceptance: After final approval by the Editorial Board, the Editor-in-Chief issues an official acceptance letter.
•    APC Invoicing [insert URL of APC]:  Following acceptance, an invoice for the Article Processing Charge will be issued to the corresponding author. 
•    Copyediting and Proofing: The manuscript proceeds to copyediting and typesetting. Authors receive proofs for final review before online publication.
(iv)    Final Publication and Archiving:  
Once proofreading is completed and all final revisions have been incorporated, the manuscript is moved to the publication queue. Please note that APC payment must be completed or a waiver granted before the article is officially published.
•    Online First: The article is published online as an 'Online First' article, maximizing its visibility and timely dissemination.
•    Tracking: Authors can monitor the current stage of their submission, including peer review status and editorial decisions, directly through their user account platform on the HSI Journal website.
•    Digital Object Identifier (DOI® number): Each paper published in HSI Journal is assigned a DOI® number (from CrossRef® )  which appears alongside the citation reference for that article. The DOI is a string of numbers, letters and symbols used to permanently identify an article or document and link to it on the web.
•    Published articles are assigned to specific Volumes and Issues. The Journal publishes two Issues per Volume with multiple Volumes completed annually. Each issue is compiled into a printed edition during the calendar year.

(v)    After Publication: The HSI Journal hosts all published manuscripts online and deposits its archives with affiliated research databases, to ensure that published research remains readily accessible and citable by the global scientific community.
Print Subscriptions and Offprints
While all articles are freely available online under Open Access, printed copies of the Journal may be requested by Volume or Issue. Applicable postage charges apply, with freight costs added for deliveries outside Ghana. For print orders and offprints, please contact the Journal office at hsijournal@ug.edu.gh.