Guidelines for Peer Reviewers

Here we provide a set of guidelines for individuals who have been invited to peer-review an article. This journal works with a double-blind peer review system in order to maintain the high academic standard that Brasiliana aims to meet, and peer reviewers are vital in this process. Peer-reviewers are chosen for their knowledge in particular areas and their reputation as academics, and we expect and depend on their ability to provide neutral and constructive feedback.

Before accepting a peer review

• Do you have time to read the article, and write and submit an adequate review for the journal? We expect all our peer-reviews to be submitted back within the date stated in the invitation.

• Are you familiar with the journal’s style and content?

• Have you read the guidelines for authors? Having a good knowledge of the standards we expect from authors will help peer-reviewers in making a fair critique and streamline our editorial process.

Reading the article

• Keep in mind the structure of the article when reading, including the abstract, length, and referencing

• Is the submission original and topical? Will it engage Brasiliana’s readership?

• Does the author present a topic that can be expanded upon, and does it build on previous works?

• Is the submission of a sufficient level of English, Portuguese, or Spanish language? Does the paper need to be submitted to an editing service?

• Is the methodology clear and accurate? Is the data properly displayed?

• Has the article been partially or fully plagiarised? We take plagiarism very seriously and our guidelines on the matter may be found on the guidelines for authors. If you think that any material has been plagiarised, please inform the editor as soon as possible.

Writing the Review

• Although the reviewer remains anonymous, we will not accept hurtful and personal comments, and if such comments are found we may reconsider your role as a reviewer. Commentary should be neutral, constructive, and helpful.

• We expect a short summary to be written, followed by clear individual criticisms.

• Have you included both positive as well as negative feedback?

• Although the opinion of the author may be different from your own, reviews should remain as neutral and logical as possible in their commentary, provided the author’s arguments are presented and backed up with rational evidence.