Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers have specific responsibilities that uphold the integrity of the journal's peer review system. They must decline invitations to review when a clear conflict of interest exists, such as prior collaboration with the author or competitive research involvement in the same area.
Conflict of Interest
Reviewers must decline invitations when conflicts exist, such as prior collaboration with authors or competitive research involvement.
Key Responsibilities
Decline Conflicts
Avoid conflicts of interest
No Delegation
Cannot delegate without permission
Report Issues
Notify editorial office of problems
Independent Judgment
Maintain impartial assessment
Delegation Policy
Reviewers must not delegate the review task to another person without explicit permission from the editor. This ensures that the review is conducted by the qualified individual who was originally selected for the task.
Reporting Obligations
They should immediately notify the editorial office if they suspect plagiarism, duplication, or data manipulation. Reviewers must maintain independence of judgment and avoid any attempt to influence editorial decisions beyond the scope of their review.
Academic Ethics
Reviewers' comments should reflect a commitment to scholarly rigor, constructive dialogue, and academic ethics.
Professional Standards
Scholarly Rigor
Maintain high academic standards
Constructive Dialogue
Engage in helpful communication
Academic Ethics
Uphold ethical principles