Reviewers Role
Peer Review and Editorial Process
Peer review plays a critical role in maintaining the high standards of Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal by ensuring the quality of published papers. All manuscripts submitted to our journal undergo a rigorous and comprehensive peer review conducted by subject-matter experts.
Upon submission, the Managing Editor of Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal performs a technical pre-check of the manuscript. An appropriate academic editor is then assigned to conduct an editorial pre-check and recommend suitable reviewers. The academic editor has the authority to proceed with the peer review, reject the manuscript, or request revisions before initiating the peer review process. If the peer review process continues, the Editorial Office coordinates the peer review by engaging independent experts who provide at least two review reports per manuscript. Authors are encouraged to address the reviewers’ comments and submit revisions, with a second round of peer review if necessary. The final decision is made by the academic editor, typically the Editor-in-Chief or Guest Editor of a Special Issue. Accepted manuscripts undergo internal copy-editing and English editing.
Reviewer Profile and Responsibilities
Reviewers play a crucial role in upholding the integrity of the scholarly record. They are expected to conduct manuscript evaluations in a timely, transparent, and ethical manner, adhering to the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Reviewers should meet the following criteria:
- Have no conflicts of interest with the authors of the manuscript.
- Be affiliated with a different institution than the authors.
- Have not collaborated with the authors in the past three years.
- Hold a PhD or MD degree.
- Possess relevant expertise and a proven publication record in the field of the submitted paper, as evidenced by Scopus or ORCID profiles.
- Demonstrate experience and expertise in the field of the submitted paper.
- Maintain an official and recognized academic affiliation.
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal strives for a rigorous peer review process to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of each manuscript, and our reviewers play a pivotal role in this endeavor. Reviewers who agree to review a manuscript are expected to:
- Possess the necessary expertise to assess the scientific quality of the manuscript.
- Provide high-quality review reports and remain engaged and responsive throughout the peer review process.
- Uphold standards of professionalism and ethical conduct throughout the review process.
General Guidelines for Reviewers
Invitation to Review
At Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, manuscripts are reviewed by at least two experts. Reviewers can be volunteers, members of the Reviewer Board, or individuals suggested by the academic editor during the initial assessment. Reviewers are requested to evaluate the manuscript’s quality and provide recommendations to the external editor regarding acceptance, revision requirements, or rejection.
We kindly ask invited reviewers to:
- Promptly accept or decline review invitations based on the manuscript title and abstract.
- Suggest alternative reviewers if they are unable to accept the invitation.
- Notify the Editorial Office as soon as possible if an extension is needed to provide a comprehensive review.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. If unsure about what constitutes a conflict, reviewers should contact the journal’s Editorial Office. Possible conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:
- Reviewer working in the same institution as one of the authors.
- Reviewer having a recent academic affiliation or collaboration with any of the authors.
- Reviewer having a personal relationship, rivalry, or antipathy towards any of the authors.
- Reviewer having financial gains or losses related to the publication of the paper.
- Reviewer having any other non-financial conflicts of interest (political, personal, religious, ideological, academic, intellectual, commercial, etc.) with any of the authors.
Reviewers should disclose conflicts of interest that may introduce bias for or against the paper or authors. It is important to note that assessing a manuscript previously reviewed for another journal is not considered a conflict of interest. In such cases, reviewers can inform the Editorial Office whether the manuscript has improved compared to the previous version.
Reviewers are encouraged to consult the Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for further information.
Declaration of Confidentiality
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal operates a single-blind peer review system. Reviewers are expected to maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript, including the Abstract, until it is published. Reviewers should avoid revealing their identity to the authors in their comments or in metadata for reports submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF format. If reviewers wish to delegate the review to a colleague, they must inform the Editorial Office.
Review Reports
We have provided some general instructions for preparing your review report. Please consider the following guidelines:
- Read the entire article, including any supplementary material, paying close attention to figures, tables, data, and methods.
- Critically analyze the article as a whole, as well as specific sections and key concepts presented.
- Provide detailed comments to help the authors understand and address the points raised.
- Avoid recommending unnecessary citations of your own work, work by close colleagues, other authors, or the journal, unless it is crucial for improving the manuscript’s quality.
- Refrain from excessive self-citations, honorary citations, or citations solely aimed at increasing the reviewer’s/authors’/journal’s citation count. References should enhance the quality of the reviewed manuscript.
- Maintain a neutral tone and focus on providing constructive criticism to help the authors improve their work.
- Avoid derogatory comments, as they are not acceptable.
For further guidance on writing a critical review, consult the following resources:
- COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. Committee on Publication Ethics.
- Writing a journal article review. Australian National University.
- Golash-Boza, T. How to write a peer review for an academic journal: Six steps from start to finish.
Review reports should include the following:
- A brief summary paragraph outlining the aim, main contributions, and strengths of the paper.
- Specific comments referring to line numbers, tables, or figures that point out inaccuracies or unclear sentences.
- Focus on scientific content rather than spelling, formatting, or language issues.
General questions to guide your review report for research articles:
- Is the manuscript clear, relevant, and well-structured?
- Are the cited references recent and relevant, with no excessive self-citations?
- Is the experimental design scientifically sound and suitable for testing the hypothesis?
- Can the results be reproduced based on the provided methods?
- Are the figures/tables/images/schemes appropriate, clear, and easy to interpret? Are the statistical analysis and data sources specified?
- Do the conclusions align with the evidence and arguments presented?
- Evaluate the ethics and data availability statements for adequacy.
General questions to guide your review report for review articles:
- Is the review clear, comprehensive, and relevant to the field? Does it identify a knowledge gap?
- If a similar review has been published recently, is this current review still relevant and of interest?
- Are the cited references recent and relevant, without excessive self-citations?
- Are the statements and conclusions coherent and supported by the listed citations?
- Are the figures/tables/images/schemes appropriate and easy to interpret?
Your review report will be evaluated by an Academic Editor in terms of scientific perspective and overall usefulness for improving the manuscript. The results will contribute to the selection of the best reviewer award.
How to Become a Reviewer
We, at Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, are delighted to invite enthusiastic and qualified researchers to join our esteemed Reviewer Panel. As a valued publisher, we believe that peer-review plays a pivotal role in maintaining the excellence and integrity of our journal’s publications. Your expertise and insights are crucial in ensuring the quality and impact of the research we publish.
Why Become a Reviewer for “Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal”?
- As a reviewer, you will actively participate in the advancement of pharmaceutical, pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics research.
- Reviewing diverse research manuscripts exposes you to the latest developments in your field, enhancing your understanding and expertise.
- Joining our Reviewer Panel offers opportunities to collaborate with esteemed researchers and our editorial team.
- Participating in peer-review activities strengthens your analytical and critical evaluation skills.
Reviewer Requirements:
We seek reviewers who possess the following qualifications:
- Expertise in pharmaceutical, pharmacology, toxicology, or pharmaceutics research.
- A strong publication record in reputable journals.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to provide constructive feedback.
- A commitment to upholding ethical standards in the review process.
How to Become a Reviewer:
If you are interested in becoming a reviewer for Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, please send an email to managing editor at managingeditor@azpharmjournal.com expressing your interest in joining our Reviewer Panel. Please include your full name, academic qualifications, area of expertise, and a brief statement explaining why you wish to become a reviewer for our journal.
As manuscripts aligning with your expertise become available for review, we will send you invitations to review. You can accept or decline based on your availability.
Reviewer Recognition:
At Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, we value the contributions of our reviewers. As a gesture of appreciation, from 2024 to onward, we offer:
- Reviewers’ names will be listed on our website and in our journal’s annual acknowledgement section.
- Reviewers will receive a certificate recognizing their valuable service to the journal.
- Active and dedicated reviewers may be considered for various editorial roles in the future.
- 20% discount in APC will be provided on accepted manuscripts at Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal.
We look forward to receiving your interest in becoming a reviewer for Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal. Your support in upholding the quality of our publications is essential to the journal’s success.
For any inquiries or to express your interest, please email managingeditor@azpharmjournal.com
Reviewer Award
We understand that reviewing is an important task that often goes unnoticed and unrewarded. At Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, we value the contributions of our reviewers and aim to recognize their efforts. As a reviewer for our journal, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- For each manuscript you review, you will receive a 20% discount voucher code. This code can be used in the future to receive a reduced article processing charge (APC) when you submit your own research to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal.
- We appreciate your contribution as a reviewer, and we provide you with a personalized reviewer certificate to acknowledge your valuable input and expertise.
- At the end of 2024, you may be eligible for consideration for our “Outstanding Reviewer Award.” This award recognize reviewer who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and excellence in their reviews.
- We proudly include our reviewers in our annual acknowledgment of reviewers under the “Our Reviewers” section of the journal. Your name will be highlighted as a valued contributor to the peer-review process.
- You have the opportunity to create a profile on the Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service (formerly Publons). This service allows you to automatically add your reviewing activity for participating journals. Additionally, your profile on the Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service can be integrated with your ORCID profile for enhanced visibility and recognition.
We believe in recognizing and appreciating the efforts of our reviewers, as their expertise and dedication are vital in maintaining the quality and integrity of our journal.
