Invitation and timeline
- Review invitations are sent by the handling editor with the manuscript title, abstract and the requested deadline; you may accept or decline from the link in the email.
- We ask reviewers to respond to an invitation within 3 days and to deliver the report within 21 days of accepting.
- If you cannot meet the deadline, tell the editor as early as possible so the manuscript can be reassigned without delay.
- Suggesting an alternative reviewer is always welcome.
Evaluation criteria
- Originality and significance: does the work add something the field does not already have?
- Soundness: are the design, data and analysis adequate for the claims made?
- Clarity: can a careful reader follow the argument and reproduce the work?
- Positioning: is the relevant literature engaged with fairly and completely?
- Reporting: are limitations, ethics approvals, data and code availability stated?
Writing your report
- Start with a short summary of what the manuscript claims to do, so the authors know you read it carefully.
- Separate major and minor points; number them so they can be answered one by one.
- Comment on the work, not the authors; every criticism should be actionable.
- State clearly whether you recommend acceptance, revision, or rejection, and what would change your assessment.
- Confidential comments to the editor are read by the editor only and are never shown to authors.
Ethics and confidentiality
- Treat the manuscript as confidential until it is published; do not share or cite it.
- Declare any competing interest before accepting: co-authorship, funding, institutional or personal ties.
- Do not use the manuscript for your own benefit and do not pass it to colleagues without the editor's agreement.
- If you suspect research or publication misconduct, report it to the editor rather than investigating it yourself.
- Reviewers may not use generative AI tools to produce a report; the assessment must be your own.
Recognition
- Reviewers may request a confirmation-of-review letter for their records.
- We record verified reviews in the reviewer's account and use them when considering editorial appointments.
- Reviewers who complete three or more reviews a year receive an annual acknowledgement on the journal's site.
- Reviewer identity is never disclosed to authors without explicit consent.
