Peer review, also known as refereeing, is the process by which an author's scholarly work, research, or ideas are evaluated by others who are experts in the same field. This process requires a community of qualified experts in a specific (often narrowly defined) area who can perform an impartial review. Achieving unbiased review, particularly in broader or interdisciplinary fields, can be challenging, and the significance of an idea might not be immediately recognized by its contemporaries.
In practice, peer review refers to the critical assessment conducted during the screening of submitted manuscripts and funding applications. This process encourages authors to adhere to the accepted standards of their discipline and helps prevent the dissemination of irrelevant findings, unsupported claims, unacceptable interpretations, and personal opinions. Publications that have not undergone peer review are often viewed with skepticism by scholars and professionals.
Reviewers' evaluations typically include a recommendation on how to proceed with the manuscript or proposal, often selected from options provided by the journal. These recommendations generally fall into the following categories:
JAAI follows a strict blind peer-review process, where reviewers are unaware of the identities of the authors whose papers they are reviewing. This policy was recently updated to prevent any potential favoritism. The JAAI reviewers are selected after a thorough screening process. While JAAI invites applications from prospective reviewers, the publisher also personally contacts and invites qualified individuals to join the esteemed board of JAAI reviewers.