The default model is double-anonymous peer review. Research articles require at least two independent reviewers unless a prospectively approved and publicly documented exception applies.
Reviewer duties
- Declare conflicts promptly.
- Protect manuscript confidentiality.
- Assess methods, evidence and interpretation rather than author identity.
- Provide specific, respectful and actionable reasoning.
- Alert editors to integrity concerns without conducting unauthorized investigations.
AI and automation
Confidential manuscripts and reviews must not be uploaded to external AI systems without explicit journal authorization and adequate data protection. Reviewers remain accountable for every statement in their report.