Reviewer Guidelines

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the scientific integrity and quality of BJSS. Responsibilities include:

  1. Confidentiality:
    • Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or use the content for personal advantage.
  2. Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
    • Reviewers must declare any potential conflicts of interest (financial, personal, academic, or professional) before accepting a review assignment.
  3. Timely Reviews:
    • Reviewers are expected to provide feedback within the requested timeframe (usually 2–3 weeks) unless an extension is negotiated with the editorial office.
  4. Constructive Feedback:
    • Reviews should be objective, professional, and constructive. Comments must be aimed at improving the manuscript rather than criticizing the authors personally.
  5. Recommendation:
    • Reviewers provide recommendations to the editor, such as:
      • Accept as is
      • Minor revision
      • Major revision
      • Reject
         

Suggested Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers are encouraged to assess manuscripts using the following key criteria:

Criterion Description
Originality Novelty of the study, research question, or surgical technique.
Relevance Importance and applicability to surgical science, patient care, or clinical practice.
Methodology Appropriateness of study design, statistical analysis, ethical compliance, and clarity of procedures.
Data and Results Accuracy, consistency, and clarity of tables, figures, and reported outcomes.
Discussion and Interpretation Logical interpretation of results, integration with existing literature, and acknowledgment of limitations.
Clarity and Presentation Organization, grammar, readability, and adherence to journal formatting guidelines.
References Appropriateness, recency, and completeness of cited literature.

3. Estimated Timelines

  • Initial invitation to review: Respond within 3–5 days.
  • Time to complete review: Typically 14–21 days.
  • Extension: Reviewers can request additional time if needed by contacting the editorial office.

4. Review Form (Template)

BJSS provides a standardized review form to help reviewers structure their feedback. Reviewers can download or complete it online. The form includes:

  • Manuscript ID and title
  • Confidential comments to the editor
  • Comments to authors (constructive feedback)
  • Scores for evaluation criteria (1–5 scale, e.g., 1 = poor, 5 = excellent)
  • Overall recommendation: Accept / Minor Revision / Major Revision / Reject

5. Ethical Considerations

  • Ensure manuscripts adhere to ethical standards, including institutional review board approval, informed consent for human subjects, and animal welfare compliance where applicable.
  • Report any suspected plagiarism, data falsification, or ethical concerns to the editor immediately.