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    Guidelines for Reviewers
  • Peer review in all its forms plays an important role in ensuring the integrity of the scholarly record. The process depends to a large extent on trust, and requires that everyone involved behaves responsibly and ethically. Peer reviewers play a central and critical part in the peer-review process, but too often come to the role without any guidance and may be unaware of their ethical obligations.

    Basic principles to which peer reviewers should adhere:

    Peer reviewers should
    ● only agree to review manuscripts for which they have the subject expertise required to carry out a proper assessment and which they can assess in a timely manner
    ● respect the confidentiality of peer review and not reveal any details of a manuscript or its review, during or after the peer-review process, beyond those that are released by the journal
    ● not use information obtained during the peer-review process for their own or any other person's or organization's advantage, or to disadvantage or discredit others
    ● declare all potential conflicting interests, seeking advice from the journal if they are unsure whether something constitutes a relevant interest
    ● not allow their reviews to be influenced by the origins of a manuscript, by the nationality, religious or political beliefs, gender or other characteristics of the authors, or by commercial considerations
    ● be objective and constructive in their reviews, refraining from being hostile or inflammatory and from making libellous or derogatory personal comments
    ● acknowledge that peer review is largely a reciprocal endeavour and undertake to carry out their fair share of reviewing and in a timely manner
    ● provide journals with personal and professional information that is accurate and a true representation of their expertise
    ● recognize that impersonation of another individual during the review process is considered serious misconduct.
  • Pubdate: 2020-10-12    Viewed: 606