Guidelines for Reviewers

The Role of the Peer Reviewer
Your expertise and objective assessment are the cornerstones of the scholarly publishing process at MycoAsia. By accepting an invitation to review, you play a critical role in upholding the scientific integrity of our journal, providing constructive feedback to authors, and ensuring the quality of the research we publish. We are sincerely grateful for your contribution to the mycology community.

Before Accepting a Review Invitation
Upon receiving an invitation, please consider the following points promptly:
Expertise: Does the manuscript fall within your area of expertise? You should only accept a review if you are confident, you can provide a high-quality assessment.
Conflict of Interest: Do you have any potential conflicts of interest that could bias your review? This includes any professional, financial, or personal connections to the authors or their research. If you are unsure, please disclose any potential conflicts to the editor before proceeding.
Availability: Can you complete the review within the specified timeline? If you are unable to meet the deadline, please decline the invitation immediately so the editor can invite an alternative reviewer without delay.

Confidentiality and Ethical Responsibilities
Confidentiality: All submitted manuscripts are confidential documents. You must not share, discuss, or use any information from the manuscript for your own purposes before it is published. The review process is a privileged communication between you, the editor, and the authors.
Identifying Potential Misconduct: As a reviewer, you are a guardian of the scholarly record. We ask that you remain vigilant for any potential ethical concerns. If you suspect plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, or any other form of scientific misconduct, please do not address it in your comments to the author. Instead, you must report your concerns confidentially and directly to the Handling Editor.

Conducting Your Review
Your review should be a constructive and impartial evaluation of the manuscript’s scientific merit. Please consider the following aspects:
Novelty and Significance: Does the research address an important question? Does it provide new and significant insights into the field of mycology?
Methodology: Is the research design sound and appropriate for the question being addressed? Are the methods described with sufficient detail to allow for reproducibility?
Results and Data: Are the results presented clearly and accurately? Do the data support the conclusions drawn by the authors?
Discussion and Conclusions: Does the discussion place the findings in the context of existing literature? Are the conclusions justified by the results? Have the authors acknowledged the limitations of their study?
Clarity and Presentation: Is the manuscript well-written, clearly organized, and easy to understand?

Structuring Your Report
A well-structured report is invaluable to both the editors and the authors. Please organize your feedback as follows:
Summary: Begin with a brief paragraph summarizing the research question, the key findings, and your overall impression of the manuscript.
Major Comments: Detail any significant concerns regarding the study’s design, methodology, data analysis, or conclusions. These are issues that must be addressed for the manuscript to be considered for publication.
Minor Comments: List any smaller issues, such as the need for clarification in the text, correction of typographical errors, or suggestions for improving figures and tables.
Confidential Comments to the Editor (Optional): If you have any concerns about potential ethical issues or other matters you wish to raise only with the editor, please include them in this separate section.
Recommendation: Conclude with a clear recommendation to the editor (e.g., Accept, Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, Reject), providing a brief justification for your choice.

Our Transparency Policy
To foster accountability and recognize the crucial contributions of our reviewers, MycoAsia discloses the names of the Handling Editor and peer reviewers (with their consent) alongside the final published article.

Thank you once again for dedicating your time and expertise to MycoAsia. Your efforts are essential to our mission of advancing mycological research.