For Reviewers
Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers
At Scholarnex, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in our double-blind peer review process, conducted via our Open Journal System (OJS). Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the academic integrity and quality of our journals. The evaluations and recommendations provided directly influence editorial decisions, and we rely on reviewers to act with impartiality, confidentiality, and scholarly rigor.
Confidentiality and Integrity
All materials and information contained within a manuscript under review must be treated as strictly confidential. Reviewers must not share, distribute, copy, or use any part of the manuscript for personal advantage or in communication with third parties before the article is published. Peer review is not an opportunity to appropriate data, ideas, or methodologies. Any form of misappropriation undermines the integrity of the review process.
Professional Conduct and Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted in a constructive, unbiased, and respectful manner. Personal remarks or attacks directed at the author are not acceptable. Comments should focus solely on the quality, validity, and scholarly merit of the manuscript. If a reviewer accepts an invitation to review, it must be with the genuine intent to provide a timely and thoughtful assessment. Reviewers must not agree to review solely to gain early access to the content, nor should they accept manuscripts that significantly overlap with their own unpublished work or ongoing submissions elsewhere.
Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers are expected to disclose any potential conflicts of interest—whether personal, financial, institutional, professional, or otherwise—that may affect their ability to provide an impartial review. If a conflict is identified, the reviewer must promptly inform the editor and decline the invitation. Reviewers should not assess a manuscript if they:
- Work at the same institution as any of the authors,
- Have collaborated with the authors in the past three years,
- Are currently or have recently been in a mentorship, advisory, or supervisory relationship with any of the authors,
- Hold competing financial or intellectual interests.
Scholarnex adheres to the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers, and we encourage reviewers to consult these standards as part of their commitment to ethical review.
Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers are expected to:
- Maintain confidentiality of all manuscript materials before and after the review.
- Provide objective, evidence-based, and constructive feedback to help authors improve their work.
- Respond to review invitations promptly. If you are unavailable or unqualified to review a submission, notify the editorial team immediately.
- Submit your report within the specified deadline, or request an extension if needed. Do not delay or intentionally extend the review timeline.
- Avoid suggesting citations to your own work or that of associates unless it is academically relevant and necessary.
- Evaluate all parts of the submission—including supplementary materials—with the same level of scrutiny as the main text.
Reviewer Report Checklist
When evaluating a manuscript, reviewers should consider the following:
- Does the article fall within the scope of the journal?
- Are the research methods sound and well-described?
- Does the work demonstrate originality, impact, and novelty?
- Is the data valid and appropriately analyzed?
- Are the conclusions justified by the evidence presented?
- Is the language and writing quality acceptable for publication?
- Are there any signs of ethical concerns, including plagiarism, data manipulation, or research misconduct?
- Are appropriate ethical approvals (e.g., for human or animal subjects) clearly stated?
For the references section:
- Are the sources used appropriate and up to date?
- Is any important literature missing or uncited?
- Is there content that lacks reference support where needed?
We appreciate the vital contribution of our reviewers in upholding the scholarly standards of Scholarnex journals. Your professionalism, fairness, and commitment to ethical review are key to the advancement of global research.