[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-255665-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-255665-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","preparing-a-referee-report-guidelines-and-perspectives","Preparing a Referee Report - Guidelines and Perspectives","","Peer review is essential to the effectiveness of the scientific process. This guide, drawn from editors’ and researchers’ experience, provides practical instructions for referees drafting clear, fair reports and cover letters for journal editors. Although intended for anyone asked to review a paper, it is especially useful for new professionals preparing their first referee submissions. The guidance emphasizes expert, unambiguous recommendations, responsible communication, and careful handling of ethics and conflicts of interest.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/","Letters",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/preparing-a-referee-report-guidelines-and-perspectives/255665/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/preparing-a-referee-report-guidelines-and-perspectives/255665.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Aurora","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-09-13",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",14,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the referee’s primary responsibility to the editor?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The referee provides expert, unambiguous advice on whether the paper is publishable. The editor decides, including any action such as inviting resubmission and required changes.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"When should a referee alert the editor about conflicts of interest?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The referee should alert the editor promptly before accepting the assignment whenever there are relevant relationships or competing research, or when past disputes could affect objectivity.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What information should an ideal cover letter include?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The cover letter should summarize the paper’s core contribution, assess the strengths and weaknesses, and provide a frank recommendation on whether it is publishable as-is or likely publishable after one revision round.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},255665,1790008037,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,98,103,108,113,117,122],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":114,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":30},4810365810221,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Preparing a Referee Report: Guidelines and Perspectives  \nJonathan B. Berk  \nStanford University, Stanford, CA 94720  \nCampbell R. Harvey  \nDuke University, Durham, NC 27708  \nDavid Hirshleifer  \nUniversity of California, Irvine, Irvine CA 92697  \nABSTRACT  \nPeer review is fundamental to the efficacy of the scientific process. We draw from our experience both as editors, authors and association representatives to provide a set of guidelines for referees in preparing their reports and cover letters to journal editors. While our document is directed to anyone asked to review a paper, our suggestions are especially relevant for new members of the profession when preparing their first reports.  \nJEL: A1, B1, C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, G1, I1, J1, K1, L1, M1, N1, O1, P1, Q1, R1, Y1, Z1  \nKeywords: Referee report, Cover letter, Ethics, Conflicts of Interest.  \nFebruary 17, 2015. Please send [correspondence to cam.harvey@duke.edu. This](correspondence to cam.harvey@duke.edu. This) document has benefited from the thoughtful comments of many people and, especially, John Cochrane and Ivo Welch.  \nPreamble  \nEditors vary in what they seek in a referee report. This document offers what we view as some central points about and suggestions for preparing a fair and useful referee report. However, we urge you to seek out journal‐specific guidelines when they are available.  \nGeneral  \nRole  \nThe job of the referee is to provide expert and unambiguous advice to the editor about whether or not a paper is publishable. The referee advises, the editor decides. In the case of a recommendation to invite resubmission, the referee should advise the editor about any changes that the reviewer believes are needed to make the paper publishable. In contrast, the referee should not advise the editor to require any change that does not affect the paper’s publishability. Referees are free to make suggestions for improving a paper, but it is important to make clear in their reports that these comments are suggestions to the authors for improvement or extension, not advice to the editor on requirements for publication.  \nConflicts of Interest  \nIf you have any conflict of interest with the manuscript, you need to alert the Editor – promptly, and before agreeing to accept the assignment. The Editor might decide to find a new referee or might ask you to complete the report. Conflicts that require alerting the Editor include when an author of the paper is: a past, current, or planned coauthor, a current colleague, a former student or advisor, a close personal friend or family member, or has a financial relationship with the reviewer. Conflicts can also arise if you have current research that is competing with the research in the submitted paper. If the paper contradicts or corrects your research, you need to tell the Editor. Finally, if there have been disputes between you and one of the authors in the past, alert the Editor.  \nDeclining the invitation  \nDecide immediately whether you will be able to complete the review within the allotted time. If not, respond immediately with good suggestions for alternatives. Often the editor does not know exactly who the best match for a submission is, so thoughtful suggestions are valuable. Also, editors understand that peak loads can create the occasional need for a declined invitation or a request for an extended deadline—or at least greatly prefer this to having to deal with a severely late report, or a systematically derelict referee.  \nDecide whether you are a good match for the submission. If you know little about the relevant literature, immediately contact the editor to check and with some alternative suggestions. The editor may have had a good reason for selecting you, and verifying this can make your job more useful and focused. For example, in a paper with both theory and empirical work, the editor might be seeking the views of the empiricist for the empirical sections and of a theorist for the theory sections.  \nIf you h","cbCaiujODAP5eldQ","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiujODAP5eldQ","pdf",163257,7,"English","# Preamble\n# Role\n## Conflicts of Interest\n## Declining the invitation\n# Cover Letter\n## Content to Include","[{\"question\":\"What is the referee’s primary responsibility to the editor?\",\"answer\":\"The referee provides expert, unambiguous advice on whether the paper is publishable. The editor decides, including any action such as inviting resubmission and required changes.\"},{\"question\":\"When should a referee alert the editor about conflicts of interest?\",\"answer\":\"The referee should alert the editor promptly before accepting the assignment whenever there are relevant relationships or competing research, or when past disputes could affect objectivity.\"},{\"question\":\"What information should an ideal cover letter include?\",\"answer\":\"The cover letter should summarize the paper’s core contribution, assess the strengths and weaknesses, and provide a frank recommendation on whether it is publishable as-is or likely publishable after one revision round.\"}]","Preparing a Referee Report - Guidelines and Perspectives | PDF",1789291739]