What Are Some Ethical Guidelines For Peer Reviewers?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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not contact the authors directly without the permission of the journal. Peer reviewers should: bear in mind that

the editor is looking to them for subject knowledge, good judgement, and an honest and fair assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the work and the manuscript

.

What is the ethical responsibility of a reviewer?

These responsibilities include

the unbiased selection of reviewers

, the assurance to the author that the peer review process will be done in a fair and timely fashion, and that the final decision regarding acceptance or publication will be based on the scientific validity of the information in the manuscript.

What is peer review in ethics?

Peer review is

a system based on trust

. Each party relies on the others to operate professionally, ethically, and confidentially. Learn about the ethical responsibilities of the reviewer, the author, and the publication during peer review.

How can we make peer review more fair and ethical?

  1. Have expertise in the subject area.
  2. Be honest with the journal about their identity.
  3. Intend to submit a review and be open to reviewing resubmissions and revisions.
  4. Read the manuscript thoroughly, even if previously reviewed by another journal.
  5. Return the review in a timely fashion.

What are the ethical guidelines for reviewers?

not contact the authors directly without the permission of the journal. Peer reviewers should: bear in mind that

the editor is looking to them for subject knowledge, good judgement, and an honest and fair assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the work and the manuscript

.

What are peer ethical principles?

Peer Specialists

never intimidate, threaten, or harass those they serve

; never use undue influence, physical force, or verbal abuse with those they serve; and never make unwarranted promises of benefits to those they serve.

What’s the process of peer review?

Peer review is

the system used to assess the quality of a manuscript before it is published

. Independent researchers in the relevant research area assess submitted manuscripts for originality, validity and significance to help editors determine whether a manuscript should be published in their journal.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a reviewer?

  • ensure the rigorous standards of the scientific process by taking part in the peer-review system.
  • uphold the integrity of the journal by identifying invalid research, and helping to maintain the quality of the journal.
  • fulfil a sense of obligation to the community and their own area of research.

What are the responsibilities of a peer reviewer?

Peer review provides

authors with the opportunity to improve the quality and clarity of their manuscripts

. It also guides the journal’s editorial staff in making publication decisions and identifying substandard manuscripts that should not be published.

What does a reviewer do during peer review?

What does a reviewer do during peer review? He

reviews the paper looking for errors and makes sure the paper meets standards set down by the scientific community

.

What is a peer review and why is it important?

Peer review involves

subjecting the author’s scholarly work and research to the scrutiny of other experts

in the same field to check its validity and evaluate its suitability for publication. A peer review helps the publisher decide whether a work should be accepted.

What is a conflict of interest in peer review?

Sample definition: Conflict of interest exists

when a participant in the publication process (author, peer reviewer or editor) has a competing interest that could unduly influence (or be reasonably seen to do so) his or her responsibilities in the publication

process (submission of manuscripts, peer review, editorial …

Why is ethics and peer review are important to science?

Peer review is

critical to maintaining the quality of science

; there is therefore an ethical imperative for scientists to participate in this process when they are able to do so. However, even the most conscientious scientist will have times when he or she is simply unable to take on an additional task.

Can you tell someone you reviewed their paper?

In general terms,

you should not tell

him/her, as peer review, unless open (eg in the BMJ), it is by definition confidential. If you are willing to, but wish to remain on the safe side, check the peer review policy of the journal for which you reviewed the manuscript.

Can peer reviewers contact authors?

COPE guidance for peer reviewers (https://publicationethics.org/files/Peer%20review%20guidelines.pdf) recommends that

reviewers not contact the authors directly without the permission of the journal

but provides no guidance about how to handle a situation in which an author, in good faith, approaches the reviewer.

Should PhD students review papers?

Typically they would have published in the field, but it wouldn’t be too surprising for an editor to request a review from a student who they knew of from conferences. Good peer reviewers are hard to come by, and a PhD student who is

knowledgeable

in the field can give a useful review.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.