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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Managing Peer Review

The Review stage is the heart of editorial work. As an Editor, you invite reviewers, monitor their progress, set deadlines, and ultimately use reviewer input to make editorial decisions.

Entering the Review Stage​

After a submission is assigned:

  1. Open the submission.
  2. Click the Review tab (or it may open there automatically if a Section Editor has already moved it from Submission).
  3. If the submission is still in the Submission stage, first send it to review: scroll to the Editorial Decision area and choose Send to Review.

Round Structure​

OJS organises peer review into rounds. Each round can have its own set of reviewers and culminates in an editorial decision. If revisions are requested and re-reviewed, a new round begins automatically when the editor selects Request Revisions and the author re-submits.

RoundTypical use
Round 1Initial peer review
Round 2+Re-review of major revisions

Inviting Reviewers​

  1. In the Review stage, click Add Reviewer.
  2. Search for reviewers by name, keyword, or interest — OJS shows existing users with the Reviewer role.
  3. Check a reviewer's review history (number of reviews completed, average days to complete, active assignments) before selecting.
  4. Click Select Reviewer to draft the invitation.
  5. Customise the email invitation if needed.
  6. Set the Response Deadline (date by which the reviewer must accept/decline) and the Review Deadline (date the full review is due).
  7. Click Send to dispatch the invitation.
tip

Aim to invite 2–3 reviewers per submission to allow for declines. Most journals have a 30–50% decline rate.

Reviewer Selection Strategies​

  • Expertise match — Search reviewer profiles for relevant keywords from the manuscript title and abstract.
  • Availability — Avoid reviewers with two or more active assignments.
  • Conflict of interest — Do not assign a reviewer from the same institution as the authors (for double-blind review), or who has co-authored with the submitting author recently.
  • New reviewers — Periodically invite early-career researchers to build your reviewer pool.

Review Types​

The review type (set per section in Journal Manager settings) controls blind status:

TypeAuthor sees reviewer?Reviewer sees author?
Double-blindNoNo
Single-blindNoYes
OpenYesYes

Monitoring Review Progress​

The Review stage shows each reviewer's status:

StatusMeaning
InvitedInvitation sent; awaiting response
AcceptedReviewer has agreed to review
DeclinedReviewer declined — re-invite another
In progressReviewer is working on the review
CompletedReview submitted
OverduePast the review deadline

Sending Reminders​

To nudge a reviewer manually:

  1. Click the disclosure arrow (▶) next to the reviewer's name.
  2. Choose Email Reviewer to send a custom reminder.

OJS can also send automatic reminders configured by the Journal Manager under Settings → Workflow → Review → Review Reminders.

Reading Submitted Reviews​

When a reviewer submits their review:

  1. You receive a notification email.
  2. In the Review stage, click the arrow next to the reviewer's name.
  3. Choose View Review or Read Review to see their form responses and recommendation.
  4. Download any attached files from the same panel.

Editing a Reviewer's Recommendation​

In exceptional cases (e.g., clear miscommunication), an editor can edit the recorded recommendation:

  1. Open Review Details for the reviewer.
  2. Change the recommendation dropdown.
  3. Save — the reviewer is not notified automatically.

Document the reason in a Submission Note for audit purposes.

Closing a Review Round​

Once you have sufficient reviews:

  1. Review all recommendations in the Review stage.
  2. Move to the Editorial Decision panel.
  3. Select the appropriate decision (Accept, Request Revisions, Decline, Resubmit for Review).
  4. Customise the decision notification and include any reviewer comments you choose to share.
  5. Click Record Decision.

Further Reading​