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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. The Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers set out the basic principles and standards to which all peer reviewers should adhere during the peer-review process. It is hoped they will provide helpful guidance to researchers, be a reference for journals and editors in guiding their reviewers, and act as an educational resource for institutions in training their students and researchers, as the journal is using the double-blind way in reviewing. 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 promptly • 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 libelous or derogatory personal comments • Acknowledge that peer review is largely a reciprocal endeavor and undertake to carry out their fair share of reviewing and promptly • 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 publicationethics.org |
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