I. Significance:
* Originality/Novelty: Does the research address a significant gap in the existing literature? Does it offer a new perspective, method, or finding? Is it incremental or transformative?
* Importance/Impact: What are the potential implications of the research findings? Will they influence theory, practice, or policy? Does the research address a pressing problem or question?
* Relevance: Does the research align with the journal's scope and aims? Is the target audience clearly defined and appropriately addressed?
II. Rigor:
* Research Question/Hypothesis: Is the research question clearly stated and well-defined? Are hypotheses testable and falsifiable (if applicable)?
* Methodology: Is the methodology appropriate for addressing the research question? Is the design sound and well-justified? Are the methods clearly described and replicable? Are there any limitations acknowledged?
* Data Collection/Analysis: Are the data collection procedures appropriate and rigorous? Are the data analyses appropriate and correctly conducted? Are the statistical methods used correctly and justified? Are the results clearly presented?
* Validity and Reliability: Is the research internally and externally valid? Are the findings reliable and generalizable? Are potential biases identified and addressed?
* Ethical Considerations: Have ethical guidelines been followed in the design and conduct of the research (e.g., informed consent, data privacy)?
III. Clarity:
* Structure and Organization: Is the manuscript well-structured and easy to follow? Is the logic clear and coherent? Are sections appropriately organized (abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, etc.)?
* Writing Style and Presentation: Is the writing clear, concise, and accurate? Is the language appropriate for the intended audience? Are figures and tables well-designed and informative?
* Literature Review: Is the literature review comprehensive and relevant to the research question? Are sources properly cited and referenced?
Beyond the core criteria:
* Reproducibility: Can the research be replicated by others based on the provided information? Increasingly important in many fields.
* Transparency: Is the research process clearly documented and transparent? Are potential conflicts of interest disclosed?
* Presentation of Results: Are the results presented objectively and without bias? Are limitations honestly acknowledged and discussed?
* Discussion and Conclusion: Are the implications of the findings discussed appropriately? Are the conclusions supported by the evidence? Are future research directions suggested?
Reviewers will typically provide a recommendation (accept, revise and resubmit, reject) along with detailed comments and suggestions for improvement. The overall evaluation is a holistic judgment integrating all these criteria.