REVIEWER GUIDLINES

Manuscripts submitted to IJMRAI, are evaluated by at least three expert reviewers. Reviewers are asked to assess the quality and scientific contribution of the manuscript and recommend whether it should be accepted, revised, or rejected.

1. Invitation to Review

  • Reviewers will receive an invitation email with the manuscript title and abstract .
  • Upon acceptance, a follow-up email provides access to the full manuscript .
  • Reviewers are requested to evaluate:
    • Novelty and significance of the research
    • Scientific soundness and methodological rigor
    • Presentation quality and readability
    • Relevance and sobriety of references
    • Overall merit and contribution to the field

2. Confidentiality and Anonymity

  • Manuscript content (including the title and abstract) must remain strictly confidential.
  • IJMRAI, operates a single-blind peer review process:
    • Reviewers remain anonymous to the authors.
    • Do not reveal your identity in comments or review files.

3.Timelines

  • Reviews should be completed within the assigned timeframe.
  • If more time is needed, reviewers should contact the editor to request an extension.

4. Preparing the Review Report

Review reports must be constructive, specific, and professional, containing:

   A. General Overview

    • A brief summary of the manuscript’s purpose, contributions, and strengths.

   B. Major Comments

  • Comments on:
    • Weaknesses in the manuscript
    • Methodological issues
    • Hypothesis validation
    • Missing controls or data
    • Clarity and completeness of review topics (if applicable)

   C. Specific Comments

  • Point-by-point feedback indicating line numbers, figures, or tables.
  • Highlight:
    • Unclear statements
    • Scientific inconsistencies
    • Issues with data or interpretation

5. Review Checklist

Consider the following questions during evaluation:

  • Clarity & Relevance: Is the manuscript clear, relevant, and well-structured?
  • References: Are they current (mainly within 5 years)? Is there excessive self-citation?
  • Scientific Rigor: Are experiments well-designed? Are results reproducible?
  • Figures & Tables: Are they necessary, readable, and well-labeled?
  • Conclusion: Are conclusions logically supported by the data?
  • Ethics: Are ethical and data availability statements provided and adequate?

6. Manuscript Rating Criteria

Rate each of the following areas:

CriteriaEvaluation Points
TitleSpecific and relevant?
AbstractConcise and informative?
MethodologyAppropriate and detailed?
DataSufficient and supports conclusions?
Writing QualityClear, professional, and grammatically sound?
Figures and TablesRelevant, high quality, well-annotated?
Terminology UseCorrect use of terms, symbols, and abbreviations?
Originality/NoveltySignificant contribution to the field?
SignificanceAre results meaningful and impactful?
Presentation QualityIs the paper well-organized and formatted?
Scientific SoundnessIs the research valid and reproducible?
Interest to ReadersWill it appeal to IJMRAI readers?
Overall MeritDoes it meaningfully advance knowledge?

7. Ethical Standards

  • Manuscripts must present original work, not submitted or published elsewhere.
  • Proper citation of others’ work is required.
  • For biological or human/animal studies, ethical standards must be followed and disclosed.

8. Reviewer Comments Structure

Please provide:

  • Rank: Rate the manuscript compared to others in the field.
  • General Comments: Assess novelty and significance.
  • Comments to Authors: Visible to the author—must be constructive and detailed.
  • Comments to Editors: Confidential—visible only to the editorial team.

9. Recommendation Options

RecommendationDescription
Publish UnalteredAccept as is.
Publish with Minor RevisionsAccept with small, non-critical changes.
Publish with Major RevisionsSignificant changes required; re-evaluation needed.
RejectManuscript has fundamental flaws and is not suitable for publication.

Authors must submit a response letter addressing all reviewer comments, especially for major revisions.


If you have any questions or require clarification during the review process, please contact the editorial office: aliabed@ijmrai.edu.iq