Reviewer ethics
Unpublished manuscripts are privileged. Reports should be civil, specific and the reviewer’s own.
The standard
Reviewing is a position of trust over unpublished work. JPBS expects reviewers to follow the same originality, honest attribution and ethics it expects of authors. Policy follows COPE principles. The journal is not listed here as a member of any ethics organisation it has not joined.
Conduct
Evaluate manuscripts objectively and constructively. Assess scientific quality, originality, methodology and significance. Identify serious ethical or methodological concerns. Avoid inappropriate personal criticism. Do not impersonate another reviewer or recruit a substitute without the editor’s agreement.
If you suspect misconduct (duplication, image manipulation, missing ethics approval), say so to the editor with the evidence you have; do not announce it to the authors on your own.
Confidentiality
Manuscripts submitted for review are confidential. Reviewers must not share manuscript content with unauthorised individuals, copy or distribute unpublished material, use unpublished findings for personal or professional advantage, or discuss the manuscript publicly without authorisation.
If a reviewer wishes to involve another qualified individual, they should first seek permission from the Editorial Office.
Conflicts of interest
Notify the Editorial Office immediately if you identify a potential conflict of interest. Decline the review when you cannot provide an impartial assessment. Examples include recent collaboration with an author, employment at the same institution, personal or professional relationships, direct academic competition, financial interests related to the research, or any circumstance that could reasonably compromise impartiality.
Citations
Do not request irrelevant citations. Reviewers should not recommend their own publications or those of colleagues unless the references are genuinely relevant to the manuscript.
Timeliness
Accept assignments only if you can provide a timely evaluation. If additional time is needed, notify the Editorial Office as soon as possible. Reviewers who cannot complete an assignment should decline promptly so another reviewer can be invited.
Tools and AI
Because submitted manuscripts may contain confidential, unpublished or proprietary information, reviewers should not upload manuscript content to publicly accessible or third-party generative AI systems unless the journal has explicitly authorised such use and confidentiality safeguards are in place. AI tools must not replace independent scholarly judgement. Checking the grammar of your own prose may be disclosed to the editor; it does not replace your reading.