Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists the editor and editorial board in making editorial decisions and may also serve the author in improving the manuscript.
Promptness
Any selected reviewer who feels unable to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that immediate review will be impossible should notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Confidentiality
All manuscripts received for review should be treated as confidential documents. They should not be disclosed or discussed with others unless authorized by the editor.
Objectivity Standards
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is not appropriate. Reviewers should clearly express their views with supporting arguments.
Recognition of Sources
Reviewers should identify cases where relevant published works cited in the article are not cited in the reference section. They should indicate whether the relevant source accompanies observations or arguments derived from other publications. Reviewers will notify the editor if there are any significant similarities or overlaps between the article under review and other published articles for which they have personal knowledge.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review should be confidential and not used for personal gain. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts with conflicts of interest arising from competition, collaboration, or other relationships or connections with any authors, companies, or institutions associated with the manuscripts.