Peer review is the system for evaluating the quality, validity, and relevance of scholarly research.

Writing a review: a step-by-step guide:

1. Investigate the journal’s content

Complete the review questions or report form to indicate the relative strengths or weaknesses of the paper.

A referee may disagree with the author’s opinions, but should allow them to stand, provided they are consistent with the available evidence.

Remember that authors will welcome positive feedback as well as constructive criticism from you.

2. Writing your report

Complete the review questions form to indicate the relative strengths or weaknesses of the paper.

A referee may disagree with the author’s opinions, but should allow them to stand, provided they are consistent with the available evidence.

Remember that authors will welcome positive feedback as well as constructive criticism from you.

3. Answer review questions form

The main factors you should provide advice on as a reviewer are the originality, presentation, relevance, and significance of the manuscript’s subject matter to the readership of the journal.

4. Make a recommendation

Once you’ve read the paper and have assessed its quality, you need to make a recommendation to the editor regarding publication. The specific decision types used by a journal may vary but the key decisions are:

Accept: if the paper is suitable for publication in its current form.

Minor revision: if the paper will be ready for publication after light revisions. Please list the revisions you would recommend the author makes.

Major revision: if the paper would benefit from substantial changes such as expanded data analysis, widening of the literature review, or rewriting sections of the text.

Reject: if the paper is not suitable for publication with this journal or if the revisions that would need to be undertaken are too fundamental for the submission to continue being considered in its current form.