Responsibilities

A reviewer is responsible for assessing:

1. The scientific integrity of the research, including the methodologies employed.

2. The quality of the data obtained and how it has been analysed.

3. The quality of the figures and presentation of any tables.

4. The intellectual rigour of the discussion section and any inferences drawn.

5. When a taxonomic paper is being reviewed, particular attention must be paid to the requirements of the ICZN and point out any deviations from this Code.

6. The logic of the conclusions put forward and the validity of the recommendations.

7. Whether there is any evidence or suspicion of plagiarism.

8. The relevance of the work of other researchers that have been cited and whether there is other work by other researchers not mentioned in the article which may have a bearing on the discussion and conclusions.

 A reviewer is not necessarily responsible for, and may omit to:

 1. Point out minor formatting or editing issues unless they directly impinge on the scientific integrity of the article.

2. Correct grammatical or spelling errors, unless they obscure or change the meaning of the text.

These issues will be dealt with by the journal’s Sub-Editor or editorial assistant.