Ethical Considerations

This section outlines the ethical principles that reviewers must adhere to, including confidentiality, objectivity, and disclosure of conflicts of interest.

Confidentiality

Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality:

• Do not share the manuscript or its contents with anyone without editor permission
• Do not use information from the manuscript for your own research
• Do not contact the authors directly
• Destroy or delete the manuscript after completing your review

Objectivity and Bias

Reviews should be objective and unbiased:

• Evaluate manuscripts based on scientific merit, not personal preferences
• Avoid making assumptions about authors based on gender, nationality, or institution
• Do not allow competitive or personal relationships to influence your evaluation
• Focus on the work itself, not the authors' reputation

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest:

• Personal relationships with authors
• Professional collaborations within the past 3 years
• Financial interests related to the research
• Academic competition with the authors
• Institutional affiliations with the authors

If you have a conflict, decline the review invitation and notify the editor.

Identifying Ethical Issues

Reviewers should be alert to potential ethical problems:

• Plagiarism or duplicate publication
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Image manipulation
• Inappropriate authorship
• Unethical research practices

Report any concerns directly to the editor in your confidential comments.