Reviewer Responsibilities and Guidelines

When you accept a review assignment for the International Review of Public Policy and Administration, you confirm that you have read these guidelines, agree to their contents, and will conduct the review in accordance with established academic and ethical standards.

By accepting a review, it is understood that you will carry out your responsibilities with integrity, objectivity, and professionalism.

Role of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective and constructive evaluations of submitted manuscripts

  • Assist the Journal Editor in making informed editorial decisions

  • Support authors in improving the quality and clarity of their work

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.

Reviewers must not:

  • Share or distribute the manuscript without authorisation

  • Use unpublished material for personal or professional advantage

Reviewer identity is protected under the double-blind peer review system.

Objectivity and Fairness

Reviews must be conducted objectively and without bias.

Manuscripts should be evaluated based on:

  • Academic merit

  • Originality

  • Methodological rigour

  • Relevance to the journal’s scope

Personal criticism of the author is not appropriate.

Discrimination of any kind is not permitted.

Competence

Reviewers should accept assignments only if they have appropriate expertise in the subject area.

If a reviewer is unable to provide an adequate review, the invitation should be declined promptly.

Timeliness

Reviewers are expected to complete their reviews within the specified timeframe.

If a delay is anticipated, the Journal Editor should be informed.

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their impartiality.

These may include:

  • Personal or professional relationships with authors

  • Institutional affiliations

  • Financial interests

Where a conflict exists, the review assignment must be declined.

Ethical Vigilance

Reviewers should identify and report any ethical concerns, including:

  • Plagiarism

  • Duplicate or redundant publication

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Improper citation practices

Concerns should be reported confidentially to the Journal Editor.

Constructive Feedback

Reviews should be clear, concise, and constructive.

Reviewers are encouraged to:

  • Provide specific comments and suggestions

  • Distinguish between major and minor issues

  • Support their observations with appropriate reasoning

Comments should be professional and respectful.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Reviewers must not upload manuscripts or any part of them to AI tools or external platforms.

AI tools may be used only for limited language assistance, provided confidentiality is maintained.

Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content and accuracy of their review.

Recommendations

Reviewers may recommend one of the following:

  • Accept

  • Minor revisions

  • Major revisions

  • Reject

Recommendations should be supported by clear and reasoned justification.

Accountability

Reviewers must provide honest and unbiased evaluations.

Reviews must not be influenced by personal, professional, or external interests.

Any attempt to compromise the integrity of the review process should be reported to the Journal Editor.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant work that has not been cited by the authors.

Any significant similarity with existing publications should be reported.

Withdrawal from Review

Reviewers may withdraw from the review process if:

  • A conflict of interest arises

  • They are unable to complete the review within the required timeframe

Withdrawal must be communicated promptly to the Journal Editor.

Compliance

Reviewers are expected to adhere to all journal policies, including those related to publication ethics, peer review, and confidentiality.

Failure to comply may result in removal from the reviewer database.

Contribution to Journal Quality

By participating in the peer review process, reviewers contribute to maintaining academic standards and supporting scholarly communication.

Declaration

By accepting a review assignment for IRPPA, reviewers confirm that they have read and agreed to these guidelines and will conduct the review in accordance with accepted academic and ethical practices.

Version: 1.0  
Last Updated: 2026

Download Reviewer Responsibilities and Guidelines Policy PDF