Final checks and professional considerations
Final checks and professional considerations
Reviewer Resources > How to write a peer review > Final checks and professional considerations
Reviewing manuscripts is a great way to stay on top of the latest research in your field. Just remember that everything you have access to as a reviewer needs to stay confidential until the work is published.
While it can be exciting to read about new discoveries or developments, you must treat all manuscripts as confidential. Do not discuss the research with others or share its content, and never use any information gained through peer review for personal or professional advantage.
Considerations during review
Here are some additional elements to look at when you are reviewing:
Writing quality & clarity
As a reviewer, you should focus on the substance of the research rather than the writing. If you think the quality of the writing needs to be improved, do not spend your time pointing out individual typos and other minor details. Just mention in your comments that you recommend language editing.
Plagiarism
If you have reason to believe the authors might have plagiarized, contact the journal immediately. If there is a confidential comments to the editor section of the reviewer report add your concerns there.
Reference list
Check the references in the manuscript and consider whether all references are relevant to the study. Mention any literature that is missing from the list, but do not use this as an opportunity to request citations for your own work. If you have concerns, contact the journal office immediately.
Wrapping up
After you have carefully read the manuscript and taken notes on overall strengths and weaknesses, take another look at the journal’s publication criteria and reviewer guidelines. Determine if you need to look at any part of the manuscript again. Go over your notes and decide what you will recommend to the journal.
How much time should you spend on the review?
It can take time to complete a good review, and some types of studies might take you longer than others. Be prepared for reviewing to take longer when you are just starting out. As you gain more experience, you will probably start to work more quickly. Everyone reviews differently so there is no specific benchmark to strive for.
For more helpful tips about best practices in the review process, read our ethics guide for reviewers.
Next resources
Open peer review
Getting started as a peer reviewer
