If you are on this page, I probably already send the full paper and some samples for your reference.
Step 0: See these videos from right to left to get the knowledge (Put 3-4 hour into learning the concept of peer review)
In this video I introduced some useful points that may help you. I made this video for reviewer of “CJM Journal” (I was once managing editor of this journal).
More content on how to perform peer review juts to look over:
Elsevier guide : https://researcheracademy.elsevier.com/navigating-peer-review/certified-peer-reviewer-course
Nature guide: https://masterclasses.nature.com/focus-on-peer-review-online-course/16605550
Step 1: Check the journal and check if they provided any specific guidance on what they want from reviewers
Step 2: Just fast read the manuscript + search for similar studies (Put 1 hour into reading and 1-2 hour into literature search)
In your fast read, highlight anything comes to in your mind, and put comments on the pdf or word file. when you finished, look for similar articles with the same aim and method. mention the level of the journal they got published and the journal you are doing the review for.
Step 3: Ask yourself what are the major things that should be changes, or probably couldn't be changed. Ask yourself does this paper have the minimun standard for publication?
Step 4: Give all the suggestions and comments you can to improve the work. This is my style of review, to be supportive and serious at the same time. If you find an big errors or errors that cannot be changes and you come up with the conclusion to reject it, give authors good comments to improve their work.
Step 5: Clean your comments and gramemr check them. Number your comments and make sure you properly address the section your are commenting on (e.g. page X, number XX; or in the passage "xxxx" you mentioned xxx. My question is xxxx.)
What next?
When you finished your review, you will send it to me (in time). I will do my review separately, so don’t worry if you put some wrong comments, just feel free to practice (but keep it serious). I will register the review in WOS and send you a link. Using this link you can add this review to your WOS profile (so please create Web of Science profile now). You should try to recieve review invitation on your own. For this, you should register in so many journals and put your interests and wait for the time that an editor send an article for you review. You should also publish papers to convince some editors that you have the minimum expertise to review some other person’s work.
As always, and to be clear: why I am doing this?
The review can boost your CV, and I am doing this to help create the next scientist generation. There are so many bad things about the peer review process, and you may become the one who can solve this. If you do, I have some shares in the Good, and that’s what I am looking for, promoting Good, helping people, and giving my debt to God and humans. Wish you sucess on conducting your review, and please be supportive and not …
Date: 27 July 2023
