Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review is an essential component of scholarly communications. Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and may also assist the author in improving the paper. Publisher shares the view of many that all scholars who wish to contribute to publications have an obligation to do a fair share of reviewing.

Diligence

A reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the Editor.

Confidentiality

Any manuscript received for review must be treated as a confidential document.

Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in a reviewer’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage.

Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any previously reported statement (observation, derivation, or argument) should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call to the editor’s attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.