Reviewer Guidelines

Introduction

Peer reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the scientific quality of the Journal of Clinical Intensive Care and Medicine (JCICM). These guidelines provide reviewers with expectations, ethical standards, and best practices when assessing manuscripts.

Role of Reviewers

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback to authors.
  • Assess the scientific rigor, originality, and relevance of submissions.
  • Identify ethical issues such as plagiarism, duplicate submissions, or data concerns.
  • Assist editors in making fair and evidence-based publication decisions.

Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents. They should not share, discuss, or use unpublished data for personal research or advantage.

Conflict of Interest

  • Reviewers should decline assignments if they have conflicts (personal, financial, or institutional).
  • Conflicts must be disclosed immediately to the editor.
  • Examples include close collaboration with authors or competitive research interests.

Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers are encouraged to structure their assessments around the following:

  • Clarity of research question and objectives.
  • Validity of methods and study design.
  • Accuracy and integrity of data and analysis.
  • Significance and originality of findings.
  • Quality of discussion and conclusions.
  • Compliance with ethical standards (human/animal studies, informed consent).

Writing the Review

Reviews should be professional, constructive, and respectful. Avoid derogatory language and provide actionable feedback. A well-structured review may include:

  • Summary: Brief overview of the manuscript.
  • Strengths: Notable contributions and originality.
  • Weaknesses: Methodological flaws, unclear data, or language issues.
  • Recommendations: Clear suggestions for improvement or justification for rejection.

Timeliness

Reviewers should complete their evaluations within the timeframe specified (typically 2–3 weeks). If unable to meet the deadline, reviewers should inform the editor promptly.

Ethical Responsibilities

  • Maintain integrity by reporting suspected ethical misconduct.
  • Respect author confidentiality and intellectual property rights.
  • Base feedback on evidence, not personal bias.

Reviewer Recognition

JCICM values reviewer contributions. Active reviewers may be acknowledged in annual reports, awarded certificates, or considered for editorial board membership.

FAQs

Can I share the manuscript with a colleague? Only with editor’s permission, and they must also maintain confidentiality.

What if I suspect plagiarism? Notify the editor with specific details, but do not contact the authors directly.

Do I have to recommend acceptance or rejection? Yes, but the final decision rests with the editor.