Instructions for Reviewers

General instructions for peer reviewers

Thank you for agreeing to review for the journal. As a genetics-focused journal, we aim to publish scientifically rigorous research that advances biochemical and clinical genetics knowledge. Please follow these guidelines while reviewing:

 
1. Evaluation Focus
Judge the manuscript on scientific rigor, accuracy, and methodological soundness, not solely on novelty or potential impact.
Do not recommend rejection based only on lack of novelty or perceived importance.
 
2. Genetics-Specific Scientific Content
Assess whether genetic methods (e.g., sequencing, genotyping, molecular assays) are described in sufficient detail to ensure reproducibility.
Verify that genetic variant nomenclature follows recognized standards (e.g., HGVS guidelines).
Confirm that population studies describe sample size, selection criteria, and statistical analysis appropriately.
Ensure bioinformatics analyses (if used) are valid, clearly explained, and reproducible.
Check that interpretations of genetic findings are accurate, evidence-based, and avoid overstating causality.
 
3. Ethical Considerations
Verify that studies involving human participants have IRB/ethics committee approval and informed consent.
Ensure appropriate handling of patient confidentiality and sensitive genetic data.
For animal studies, confirm compliance with institutional and international ethical standards.
 
4. Clarity and Structure
Evaluate whether the manuscript is clearly structured, with background, methods, results, and discussion logically presented.
Ensure all genetic terms and abbreviations are defined at first use and consistently applied.
 
5. Data and Figures
Confirm that genetic data (e.g., sequence data, variant tables, pedigrees) are complete, accurate, and clearly presented.
Check if relevant datasets have been deposited in recognized repositories (e.g., GenBank, ClinVar) with accession numbers provided.
Ensure figures (e.g., genome maps, chromatograms) are clear and of sufficient resolution for publication.
 
6. References
Confirm citations are relevant, up-to-date, and include recent genetics literature.
Ensure variant and gene names in references are accurate and consistent with the text.
 
7. Constructive Feedback
Provide detailed, constructive suggestions to improve the scientific content, clarity, and reproducibility of the work.
Highlight any additional experiments, analyses, or clarifications that could strengthen the manuscript.
 
8. Confidentiality & Ethics of Review
Treat all materials as confidential and do not use unpublished data for personal benefit.
Declare any conflicts of interest before reviewing.