Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers’ Role and General Expectations

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the academic quality, credibility, and integrity of Journal of Maritime Innovation and Sustainability (JMIS). Reviews should be conducted objectively, independently, and constructively, with careful attention to the manuscript’s relevance to the JMIS’s aims and scope, originality, scholarly significance, methodological rigor, and overall contribution to the field. Reviewers should provide balanced and evidence-based comments that help authors strengthen their work while assisting the Editor in making a fair and informed decision.

Assessment of the Manuscript

Reviewers should evaluate whether the manuscript presents a clear research problem, appropriate objectives or research questions, and a sound rationale supported by relevant literature. The research methods should be appropriate, sufficiently described, and applied rigorously, while the results should be presented accurately and interpreted logically. Reviewers should also assess whether the conclusions are adequately supported by the findings, whether relevant literature has been appropriately incorporated, and whether the manuscript demonstrates sufficient originality and scholarly contribution. Ethical considerations, where applicable, should also be examined.

Comments and Recommendations

Reviewer comments should be specific, clear, respectful, and professionally presented. Reviewers should distinguish between essential revisions that affect the validity, integrity, or scholarly quality of the manuscript and optional suggestions that may improve clarity, presentation, or completeness. Criticism should focus on the work rather than the authors, and reviewers should avoid inappropriate, discriminatory, or personal remarks. Where possible, recommendations should be supported by clear reasoning and, when relevant, references to appropriate scholarly sources.

Confidentiality, Conflicts of Interest, and AI Use

Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential and should not be shared, copied, discussed, or used for personal or professional advantage. Reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest and decline the assignment where impartiality may be compromised. Reviewers should not delegate the review to another person without prior permission from the Editor. Confidential manuscript content should not be uploaded to publicly accessible or unauthorized generative AI systems. Reviewers remain responsible for maintaining the confidentiality, independence, and integrity of the peer review process and should follow the JMIS’s ethical and editorial policies at all times.