Journal of Liberal Thinking operates under a continuous publication model. Even if an article is accepted after completion of the peer-review process, it will not be published until it has been fully prepared for publication. The post-acceptance stage requires the author to conduct a final language and formatting check, submit all requested documents and the final files in full, and then complete the typesetting and proof-approval processes. For this reason, articles are published no earlier than 20 days after the author has submitted the complete, publication-ready package. Any delay attributable to the author will postpone the publication date. The Journal reserves the right to organize the publication order and schedule in accordance with editorial and technical requirements.

1) An acceptance decision does not mean the manuscript is publication-ready

After the peer-review process and the editorial decision (acceptance) are completed, the manuscript enters the production workflow. This workflow includes language and formatting checks, typesetting, and final approval steps. Accordingly, an accepted manuscript is not published on the same day or within a few days. Authors must strictly take into account the minimum 20-day period starting from the completion of peer review.Requests to expedite the publication-preparation process will not be considered under any circumstances.

2) Minimum preparation-time rule

Accepted manuscripts that have become “publication-ready” are published no earlier than 20 days after the complete publication-ready package has been submitted, so that all production steps can be duly completed. Following completion of peer review, the process proceeds as follows:

Mandatory Post-Acceptance Production Steps

A) Final language and formal checks (Author responsibility)

After acceptance, the author must complete the requested revisions by conducting final checks regarding:

• grammar and language accuracy; spelling; references; citation style; figure/table captions,
• institutional formatting and compliance with the Journal template,
• metadata (title–abstract–keywords; author information; ORCID; funding information, etc.).

The author is required to complete the post-acceptance revisions communicated by the Editorial Office within 5 days. If this deadline is exceeded, the manuscript may be moved back in the publication queue.

 

Without the editor’s explicit request and special approval, the author may not introduce content-level changes, including but not limited to:

• adding new data or findings,
• adding or deleting paragraphs,
• extensive rewriting,
• adding or removing references.

(If, at this stage, the author insists on making major changes to the manuscript, the editor may send the manuscript back for renewed peer review.)

Note: For articles derived from theses, please add a statement to the final document indicating that the article was produced from a thesis.

B) Typesetting / layout (Journal responsibility)

Once the author completes the language and formal checks, the Journal proceeds to typesetting/layout. At this stage, the following are reviewed:

• page layout,
• table/figure resolutions,
• footnotes, references, and author identification details,
• DOI and bibliographic information (where applicable).

C) Proofreading (proof) and approval (Author responsibility)

A typeset proof is sent to the author. The author may make only error corrections (spelling, punctuation, formatting, or typesetting errors). The proof must be approved within 3 days of delivery to the author. If approval is delayed, the publication date is automatically postponed.

D) Publication

After all steps are completed, the article is published. Under the continuous publication model:

each article appears with its own publication date,

articles are automatically ordered by publication date.

4) Publication queue and order principle

Accepted manuscripts are placed in the publication queue according to the order in which they become publication-ready. The Editorial Board reserves the right to adjust publication order for reasons including (but not limited to):

• special-issue planning,
• disciplinary/field balance,
• the completion status of technical preparations,
• closure of ethics/similarity checks.

5) No publication before similarity/ethics checks are closed

Even at the post-acceptance stage, if any of the following are missing, the manuscript will not be published or the process will be suspended:

• similarity report,
• ethics committee approval / permission documents,
• conflict-of-interest disclosure,
• data/research materials statement.

6) Communication and follow-up rule

The sole communication channel for process follow-up is the DergiPark messaging system. The Editorial Office does not provide a guaranteed publication day; it may only share an estimate contingent upon completion of the production workflow.