Reviewer Resources
JNMB provides tools and guidance to help reviewers deliver thorough, unbiased, and timely assessments for molecular biology manuscripts.
Resources For Reviewers
Review templates
Ethics checklists
Data policy guides
Reporting standards
COPE flowcharts
Reviewer support
Assessment Tips
Focus on methodological rigor, data integrity, and alignment with the study aims. Evaluate whether conclusions are supported by the evidence.
Flag missing controls, incomplete methods, or unclear statistical analysis.
When appropriate, request additional validation experiments or data deposition.
Communication
Provide clear recommendations for authors and confidential notes for editors when necessary. Keep tone professional and constructive.
Structured feedback helps authors respond efficiently and improves manuscript quality.
Use numbered comments to make responses easy to track.
Ethical Considerations
Reviewers should note potential ethical concerns, including undisclosed conflicts, missing approvals, or biosafety issues.
Report suspected misconduct to the editorial office rather than contacting authors directly.
Maintain confidentiality for all manuscript materials and data.
Timeline Management
Accept reviews only when you can meet deadlines. Timely feedback supports rapid publication and benefits the research community.
JNMB provides reminder tools to help reviewers stay on schedule.
If delays occur, notify the editorial office early to avoid workflow disruption.
Review Structure
Consider separating major concerns from minor edits. This helps editors prioritize decisions and helps authors respond efficiently.
Focus on clarity, rigor, and reproducibility rather than stylistic preferences.
Provide specific examples to support your recommendations.
Support And Training
New reviewers can request guidance on how to structure reviews. JNMB provides examples of effective review reports.
Reviewer resources are updated regularly to reflect policy changes and reporting standards.
Training materials include ethics reminders and data review checklists.
Data Checks
Confirm that datasets are deposited in stated repositories and that accession numbers are present. Data availability is a key component of reproducibility.
Request clarification if data links are incomplete or inactive.
Image Integrity
Look for image manipulation or duplicated panels. Report concerns to the editorial office with specific details.
JNMB uses image screening tools, and reviewer input strengthens quality control.
Need Reviewer Support?
Contact [email protected] for assistance with review scope or policy questions.
Templates And Checklists
JNMB provides review templates to help structure feedback. Checklists cover ethics, data availability, and reporting requirements.
Using these tools ensures consistent, high quality reviews.
Support Channels
Reviewers can contact the editorial office for clarification on scope or policies. Support is available for complex cases or ethical concerns.
Prompt questions help avoid delays and maintain review quality.
