Reviewer Guidelines
Best practices for providing constructive, fair peer review of child and adolescent psychiatry research.
Excellence in Peer Review
Reviewers play a critical role in ensuring the quality and integrity of published research.
These guidelines support constructive, timely, and ethical review practice.
Reviewers evaluate manuscripts for scientific validity, methodological rigor, and contribution to child and adolescent psychiatry. Reviews should be fair, constructive, and completed within agreed timelines. Reviewers maintain confidentiality and declare conflicts of interest.
Scientific Assessment
Evaluate methodology, data analysis, and conclusions for validity and appropriateness.
Constructive Feedback
Provide specific, actionable suggestions to strengthen the manuscript.
Timeliness
Complete reviews within agreed deadlines or communicate delays promptly.
When evaluating manuscripts, consider the following dimensions. Your assessment helps editors make informed decisions and provides authors with guidance for improvement.
- Originality and significance of contribution to child psychiatry
- Appropriateness of study design and methodology
- Quality of data analysis and interpretation
- Clarity and organization of presentation
- Ethics compliance including consent and approvals for pediatric research
- Relevance to JCAP's readership and scope
Reviewers should flag concerns about ethics compliance, including inadequate consent documentation for research involving minors, missing ethics approvals, and potential misconduct. Maintain strict confidentiality and do not use manuscript content before publication.
Conflict of interest: Decline review invitations if you have personal, professional, or financial relationships that could bias your assessment. Disclose potential conflicts to the handling editor.
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