Turkish Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Instructions to Reviewers

Peer Review Process

Turkish Journal of Pediatric Surgery operates a double-blind peer review process to ensure the quality and integrity of published research.

What is Double-Blind Peer Review?

In a double-blind peer review:

  • Reviewers do not know the identity of the authors
  • Authors do not know the identity of the reviewers

This ensures an unbiased and objective evaluation of the manuscript based solely on its scientific merit.

Review Process Overview

1. Manuscript Submission

Authors submit their manuscript through the online submission system.

2. Technical Check

The Editorial Office conducts an initial technical check to ensure the manuscript:

  • Meets formatting requirements
  • Includes all required sections
  • Contains necessary ethical approvals
  • Has been screened for plagiarism using Crossref Similarity Check

3. Editor Assignment

If the manuscript passes the technical check, it is assigned to the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor who evaluates whether the manuscript is within the journal's scope.

4. Reviewer Selection

The Editor selects at least two independent external reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected based on:

  • Subject expertise
  • No conflicts of interest with the authors
  • Geographic and institutional diversity

5. Double-Blind Review

The manuscript is sent to reviewers with all author identifying information removed, including:

  • Author names
  • Institutional affiliations
  • Acknowledgments
  • Funding sources (temporarily removed for review)

6. Reviewer Evaluation

Reviewers have 7 days to accept or decline the review invitation.

Once accepted, reviewers have 21 days (3 weeks) to complete the review and provide:

  • A detailed evaluation
  • Constructive comments
  • A recommendation (Accept, Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, or Reject)

7. Editorial Decision

Based on reviewer recommendations, the Editor makes one of the following decisions:

  • Accept (rare at first submission)
  • Accept with minor revisions
  • Major revisions required
  • Reject

8. Author Revision

Authors receive reviewer comments (with reviewer identities removed) and are given time to revise and resubmit.

9. Final Decision

The Editor makes the final publication decision based on the revised manuscript and authors' responses to reviewer comments.

Review Timeline Summary

  • Invitation Response: Reviewers have 7 days to accept or decline the review invitation
  • Review Completion: Once accepted, reviewers have 21 days (3 weeks) to complete the review
  • Total Review Process: The journal aims to complete the initial review process within 4-6 weeks of submission

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Confidentiality

  • Manuscripts under review are confidential documents
  • Do not share, discuss, or use information from manuscripts you review
  • Do not include your name or any identifying information in your review report
  • Destroy all copies of the manuscript after completing your review

Objectivity

  • Provide constructive, professional, and courteous feedback
  • Base your evaluation solely on the scientific merit of the work
  • Avoid personal criticism of the authors
  • Evaluate the manuscript without considering religious, political, or economic interests

Timeliness

  • Respond to review invitations within 7 days (accept or decline)
  • Complete your review within 21 days (3 weeks) after accepting the invitation
  • Inform the Editor immediately if you cannot complete the review on time
  • Inform the Editor immediately if you cannot accept the review invitation

Conflicts of Interest

Declare any potential conflicts of interest, including:

  • Recent collaboration with the authors (within the last 3 years)
  • Current or recent institutional affiliation with the authors
  • Financial interests related to the manuscript
  • Personal relationships with the authors
  • Any other relationship that could affect your objectivity

If you suspect you know the authors' identity despite the blinding, inform the Editor immediately.

Expertise

  • Only accept review invitations for manuscripts in your area of expertise
  • If you feel unqualified to review any section of the manuscript, inform the Editor

Review Criteria

When evaluating a manuscript, please consider:

1. Originality and Significance

  • Is the research original?
  • Does it make a significant contribution to the field?
  • Is it relevant to pediatric surgery?

2. Methodology

  • Is the study design appropriate?
  • Are the methods clearly described and reproducible?
  • Is the sample size adequate?
  • Are appropriate statistical methods used?

3. Results

  • Are results clearly presented?
  • Are tables and figures appropriate and well-labeled?
  • Do the results support the conclusions?

4. Discussion and Conclusions

  • Are the findings interpreted appropriately?
  • Are limitations acknowledged?
  • Are conclusions supported by the data?
  • Is the discussion balanced and objective?

5. Ethical Considerations

  • Has ethical approval been obtained where required?
  • Is patient consent addressed appropriately?
  • Are conflicts of interest disclosed?

6. Presentation

  • Is the manuscript well-written and clearly organized?
  • Is the English language adequate?
  • Are references appropriate and properly cited?

Maintaining Anonymity (Double-Blind Requirements)

For Reviewers:

  • Do not include your name in the review report
  • Do not include any information that could reveal your identity
  • Do not make statements like "In my previous work..." or "As I have shown..."
  • Use neutral language: "The authors should consider..." rather than "You should..."

If Anonymity is Compromised:

If you discover the authors' identity during the review process:

  • Inform the Editor immediately
  • Confirm whether you can still provide an unbiased review
  • If not, the Editor will assign a different reviewer

Licensing and Open Access Compliance

Turkish Journal of Pediatric Surgery publishes all articles under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

As a reviewer, you should:

  • Ensure that authors have properly attributed all sources
  • Check that reused figures/tables have appropriate permissions
  • Verify that the manuscript complies with open access and ethical standards

How to Submit Your Review

  1. Log into the online submission system
  2. Access the manuscript assigned to you
  3. Complete the review form, including:
    • Your detailed comments to the authors (these will be shared anonymously)
    • Confidential comments to the Editor (if any)
    • Your recommendation (Accept/Minor Revisions/Major Revisions/Reject)
  4. Submit your review through the system

Recognition for Reviewers

We greatly value the contribution of our reviewers. Reviewers will:

  • Be acknowledged annually on the journal website (with their permission)
  • Receive a certificate of review upon request
  • Be considered for the editorial board based on their consistent high-quality reviews

Contact

If you have any questions about the peer review process, please contact:

Editor-in-Chief
Email: editor@journalpedsurg.org

Further Resources

Thank you for contributing to the quality and integrity of Turkish Journal of Pediatric Surgery!