Information and
Instructions for IMpact Editors
Dear
Editor:
Your invitation to review a manuscript submitted to IMpact will be sent via email. A delay in your decision to review an article will
slow down the entire review process. The
editorial staff will need to know within 3 business days whether or do not you
agree to review the article. Upon
acceptance, reviews should take no longer than 2 to 3 weeks. If you are unable to complete the review
within this timeframe, please notify Ms. Jennifer Newcomb, the Managing Editor,
at jnewcomb@health.usf.edu.
Checklist
- Summarize
the article in a short paragraph.
- Give
your main impressions of the article (abstract, poster, review or
scientific article, book chapter, and any other manuscript submitted),
including whether it is novel and interesting, has a sufficient impact,
and adds to the knowledge base.
- Give
specific comments and suggestions, including its layout and format, title,
and the content, whether it is an abstract, poster, presentation, review
article, book chapter or scientific article. Please make sure each aspect
of the article is reviewed and pay particular attention to the proper use
of language and references.
- If
you suspect plagiarism, fraud or have other ethical concerns,
confidentially contact the editorial staff.
Confidentiality
All documents and papers received should be treated in a confidential
manner. They are not to be shared or discussed with others. If you need to do so, please contact the
editorial staff.
Suggested
review process for any article submitted
Evaluation
of the manuscript may vary depending on whether or not it is a case report,
abstract, poster, review or scientific article, chapter, or other scientific
manuscript according to the following:
- Originality
– is the manuscript sufficiently novel and interesting to warrant
publication? Does it add to the knowledge in the field? Is the subject or research
important?
Suggested review process cont.
- Structure
– Is the manuscript clearly presented? Are all the key elements present: abstract,
introduction, methodology, results and conclusions?
- Does
the title clearly describe the manuscript?
- Does
the abstract reflect the content of the manuscript?
- Does
the introduction clearly summarize relevant research and state the problem
being investigated?
- Are
the methods explained accurately and in detail? Is the design suitable for
answering the research question?
- Are
the results laid out in a logical order? Are the statistics used
appropriately?
- Do
the results support the authors’ conclusions? Is there explanation of how
this research moves the field forward?
- Are
the figures/tables relevant and describe the data accurately? Is the style
consistent?
- Previous
research – Does the manuscript reference supporting research
appropriately? Are there important references omitted?
- Are
the references appropriate for the statements they are meant to
support? Are they up-to-date or is
more recent information available?
- Is
the journal that the authors have selected to submit the manuscript
appropriate?
Comments
to the authors
All comments to the authors should be stated in a constructive
and helpful way. The reviewer should
discuss both the shortcomings and strengths of the work. Please include specific critiques of the
study design, methods, data analysis, results and discussion and/or suggestions
and questions that will clarify and improve the manuscript for the reader. Significant omissions should be identified. Comments on English/grammar are appreciated,
however, do not spend time correcting
the language. Again, remember that
comments to the authors should be constructive and point out ways to improve
the manuscript. If you believe there are
fatal flaws in the study design or analysis, point these out and ask the author
to address them. Then, place your
conclusions concerning these problems in the confidential comments to IMpact’s editorial staff.
Confidential
comments to IMpact’s Editor-in-Chief
Summarize your reasons for your scores and recommendations. Provide specific comments regarding the
originality and importance of the work.
Manuscripts appropriate for submission to mainstream indexed journals
should report results of well-designed, performed and analyzed studies that
contribute significant new information to the field. Manuscripts that are premature, are a small
part of a larger work, or have serious faults should be communicated.
Return
of your review
All reviews should be completed within 2 to 3 weeks and returned
via email attachment to Ms. Jennifer Newcomb, Managing Editor. Please return both the Manuscript Review Form
sent to you upon your acceptance to review and the manuscript, with any
corrections and/or comments made using track changes in Microsoft Word.