For Reviewers

Write to us through Contact Us, choose the journal, and tell us your field of expertise, your institution and a link to your publications or ORCID record. The journal's editors will add you to their reviewer list if your expertise matches its scope.

Researchers with a doctoral degree or equivalent experience and a record of publications in the manuscript's subject area. Editors choose reviewers for their expertise and independence from the authors.

Yes. Each journal keeps its own reviewer list, so tell us every journal whose scope matches your work.

By email from the journal's editorial office or submission system, with the manuscript's title and abstract. Please accept or decline promptly, so the editors can find another reviewer if needed.

Decline if the manuscript is outside your expertise, if you cannot finish the review in time, or if you have a conflict of interest. Suggesting another qualified reviewer when you decline is very helpful.

Working at the same institution as an author, a recent collaboration or co-authorship, a personal relationship, a financial interest in the results, or working on competing research. If in doubt, tell the editor before you accept.

Reviewers are normally given 21 days. If you need more time, ask the editor; the editors send reminders as the due date approaches.

Double-blind review: you do not know who the authors are, and they do not know who reviewed their work. Please do not try to identify the authors, and keep your own name out of your comments and any annotated files.

Whether the question is important and within the journal's scope; the originality of the work; whether the methods are sound and described well enough to repeat; whether the results support the conclusions; the statistics; the references; and the clarity of the writing, tables and figures.

Be objective, specific and constructive. Start with a short summary of the work, then list major and minor points, explaining and supporting each one. Avoid personal criticism of the authors. Comments meant only for the editor go in the confidential section.

Accept, minor revision, major revision or reject. The handling editor makes the final decision, using all the reviewers' reports.

No. Do not upload the manuscript, or any part of it, to generative AI tools: this breaks the confidentiality of the review. The review must be your own work.

Treat the manuscript as a confidential document. Do not share it, discuss it or use anything in it for your own work. If you would like a colleague or student to help, ask the editor first and name them in your report.

Tell the editor in your confidential comments, with the details, rather than contacting the authors. Concerns are handled following COPE's guidance, as described in our Publication Ethics statement.

Often, yes. Revised manuscripts may go back to the same reviewers with the authors' point-by-point response, until the editors are satisfied.

Reviewers are usually informed of the editor's decision on the manuscripts they reviewed.

Yes. Ask the journal's editorial office for a certificate of reviewing. You can also record your review on your ORCID record or a reviewer-recognition service.

The journal's editorial office (see the journal's Contact page), or us through Contact Us.