Guide for Reviewers

Invitation to Review

Manuscripts submitted to the Iraqi Journal of Civil Engineering (IJCE) are evaluated by at least two independent experts. Reviewers may be volunteers, members of the Reviewer Board, or specialists suggested by the Academic Editor during the initial assessment.
Reviewers are responsible for assessing the quality, originality, and scientific contribution of the manuscript, and for providing recommendations to the Editor-in-Chief regarding its suitability for publication.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Invited reviewers are kindly requested to:

  • Respond promptly to invitations either accepting or declining as soon as possible after reviewing the manuscript title and abstract.
  • Suggest alternative reviewers if unable to accept the invitation.
  • Request extensions early if additional time is required to complete a thorough review.

Before Accepting a Review Invitation

Please consider the following questions before accepting:

  1. Relevance:
    Does the manuscript fall within your area of expertise? Accept only if you can provide a competent and detailed review.
  2. Conflict of Interest:
    Do you have any financial, personal, or professional conflicts that could bias your judgment? If yes, disclose them to the editor immediately.
  3. Availability:
    Do you have sufficient time to complete the review before the deadline? Review reports require careful analysis and detailed feedback.

How to Conduct a Peer Review for IJCE

Review reports should provide a comprehensive, constructive, and objective critique of the manuscript.
While IJCE does not prescribe a strict structure, reviewers are encouraged to organize their reports using the following format:

  • Summary – A concise overview of the manuscript’s objectives, main findings, and overall contribution.
  • Major Issues – Detailed comments addressing substantial scientific or methodological concerns.
  • Minor Issues – Suggestions for improving clarity, organization, or presentation.

Constructive feedback helps authors improve their work. Reviewers may include confidential comments for the Editor-in-Chief if necessary.

Core Aspects to Evaluate

When reviewing, please assess the following:

  • Relevance and validity of the research question.
  • Adequacy of the sample size and study design.
  • Ethical compliance and approval were applicable.
  • Appropriateness of methods and controls.
  • Transparency and reproducibility of data and methodology.
  • Correct use and reporting of statistical tests.
  • Clarity and accuracy of figures and tables.
  • Depth and relevance of literature review.
  • Objectivity and coherence of discussion and conclusions.
  • Recognition of research limitations.
  • Language clarity and precision of abstract and main text.

Review Recommendations

At the end of the review, please select one of the following recommendations:

  • Accept
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Reject
  • Unable to Review

Reviewers should submit their reports through the IJCE Manuscript Tracking System on or before the agreed deadline. If additional time is needed, please notify the editorial office as soon as possible.

Guidelines for Preparing the Review Report

Please follow these general guidelines:

  • Read the entire manuscript, including any supplementary material.
  • Provide specific, detailed comments that authors can respond to directly.
  • Maintain a professional and neutral tone constructive criticism is encouraged, but derogatory remarks are unacceptable.
  • Avoid unnecessary self-citations or excessive recommendations to cite your own work.
  • Avoid recommending citations that do not improve the manuscript’s quality.

Structure of the Review Report

  1. Brief Summary – Summarize the study’s aim, contribution, and strengths.
  2. General Comments – Assess methodology, design, ethical compliance, and scientific validity.
  3. Specific Comments – Provide detailed, line-referenced feedback on figures, tables, and data presentation.

For research articles, reviewers should assess:

  • Relevance, clarity, and structure of the manuscript.
  • Soundness of experimental design and reproducibility of results.
  • Adequacy and accuracy of statistical analysis.
  • Appropriateness of figures and tables.
  • Coherence between data and conclusions.
  • Relevance and recency of references (preferably within the last 5 years).

For review articles, reviewers should assess:

  • Coverage and comprehensiveness of the topic.
  • Identification of knowledge gaps.
  • Relevance and balance of references.
  • Clarity and accuracy of figures and illustrations.
  • Originality and contribution to the field.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts under review are strictly confidential. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or disclose the content with anyone outside the peer review process.
If consultation with a colleague is essential, reviewers must first obtain permission from IJCE and include the colleague’s name in the Comments to the Editor section.

Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if they:

  • Have a financial or professional interest in the study outcome.
  • Have previously discussed the manuscript with the authors.
  • Cannot remain objective for any reason.

Becoming a Reviewer

IJCE welcomes applications from qualified experts wishing to contribute to the peer review process. Reviewers are selected by the Editorial Board on a manuscript-by-manuscript basis.
To ensure your details are up to date, please register or update your information in the IJCE Reviewer Database through the journal’s website.