Reviewer Guidelines
Standards for evaluating marine science manuscripts at IMSJ.
Excellence in Peer Review
Quality peer review is essential to scientific progress. These guidelines help reviewers provide constructive, fair evaluations that strengthen marine science publications.
Scientific Rigor
Evaluate methodology, experimental design, statistical analysis, and interpretation of results.
Originality
Assess novelty of findings and contribution to marine science knowledge advancement.
Presentation
Review clarity of writing, figure quality, and logical organization of manuscript.
- Accept or decline invitations promptly based on expertise and availability
- Complete reviews within agreed timeframe (typically 2-3 weeks)
- Provide specific, constructive feedback with actionable suggestions
- Recommend appropriate disposition (accept, revise, reject)
Confidentiality: Manuscripts are confidential documents. Do not share content, discuss with colleagues, or use information for personal advantage before publication.
Disclose any conflicts of interest that could bias your review. If you recognize authorship through writing style or research context, inform the editor. Report suspected misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication) to the editorial office.
Prompt, professional communication is essential for efficient manuscript handling. Respond to editorial correspondence within the specified timeframes. If unavailable temporarily, notify the editorial office to enable reassignment and prevent processing delays.
Organize reviews addressing major categories: scientific merit, methodology appropriateness, results interpretation, presentation quality, and literature context. Provide specific suggestions for improvement alongside criticisms. Balance identifying weaknesses with acknowledging strengths.
When reviewing revised manuscripts, focus on whether authors adequately addressed previous concerns. New issues may arise but prioritize evaluating response to prior feedback. Revisions should demonstrate genuine engagement with reviewer suggestions and scientific improvement.
