Guidelines for Peer Review
A review should be completed within 30 days of receipt of the manuscript.
Our mission is to link the science and practice of forensic psychology by making research and applications directly available to all forensic psychologists. Contributions should be of interest to forensic psychologists, and must survive peer review. Within those broad parameters, we welcome empirical research, case studies, review articles, theoretical papers, practical applications, policy recommendations, and articles relevant to the teaching of forensic psychology.
Manuscripts will be evaluated for their importance to the field, scientific rigor, practical implications, potential impact, suitability for the journal, and clarity of writing. The primary determinants of editorial decisions are based on whether the paper enlarges the understanding of important issues in forensic psychology and related matters, or whether the paper promotes better use of mental health expertise by the legal profession and the courts.
Following are Iain Taylor’s Tips for Good Peer Review, from Lesley McKarney’s April 20, 2001, article in Science Careers (from the Journal Science):
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What is your overall conception of the paper? "This paper describes ... & concludes (or tries to conclude) ...."
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Is the work original?
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Is the work of high quality?
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Is there enough new information in the paper to justify publication?
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Do you have any editorial/presentation suggestions?
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Indicate the strengths of the paper.
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Indicate the weaknesses.
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Do not tell the author how you would have done the experiment, but do explain if you believe that the experiment did not achieve the stated goals.
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Is the hypothesis clear?
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Are the methods adequately described?
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Can you follow the results? Do the tables and illustrations make sense?
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Are the statistics adequate/appropriate?
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Is the work adequately discussed?
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Are all the references pertinent?
Contributors & reviewers are encouraged to read the full article Peer-Review Techniques for Novices