Peer reviewers play a central role in ensuring the integrity of the scholarly record. The peer-review process depends on the trust and willing participation of the scholarly community and requires that everyone involved behaves responsibly and ethically.

Journals have an obligation to provide transparent policies for peer review, and reviewers have an obligation to conduct reviews in an ethical and accountable manner. Clear communication between the journal and the reviewers is essential to facilitate a consistent, fair, and timely review.

Reviewers should declare all potential competing or conflicting interests. If there is any uncertainty about a potential conflict that may prevent a review, it should be raised with the journal. Competing interests may be personal, financial, intellectual, professional, political, or religious in nature.

If you are currently employed at the same institution as any of the authors or have been a recent mentor, mentee, close collaborator, or joint grant holder within the past 3 years, you should not agree to review. Similarly, you should not agree to review a manuscript solely to gain access to it or if it is very similar to work you currently have in preparation or under consideration elsewhere.