Peer review - Why, when and how

Abstract

Peer review has a key role in ensuring that information published in scientific journals is as truthful, valid and accurate as possible. It relies on the willingness of researchers to give of their valuable time to assess submitted papers, not just to validate the work but also to help authors improve its presentation before publication. Referees should allocate adequate time to prepare their review. They should have access to important resources such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the websites of the Committee on Publication Ethics (https://publicationethics.org/) and Equator (https://www.equator-network.org/) which has a useful ‘toolkit’ for reviewing. Comments on the papers are ideally numbered and objective, assessing study design (including sample size), data analysis, interpretation, and strengths and weaknesses. Maintaining confidentiality is essential. Being asked to be a referee is a privilege and has benefits for the reviewer, including exposure to new ideas, staying aware of recent trends, increasing personal knowledge, and learning from good authors how to write better.

Keywords

• Peer review