Why review for a new journal?

A new journal cannot offer what established titles can: an impact factor, a long archive, and a famous name on your CV. So when an invitation arrives from a journal that is only a few years old, it is fair to ask why you should say yes.

Your report shapes the journal

In its first years, a journal decides what it will accept as good work. The reviewers it relies on set that standard. A careful report on an early manuscript sets the standard for the reports that follow it. Few contributions to a field have that kind of reach.

Your report is read closely

A new journal receives fewer manuscripts, so the editors read every report closely and act on it. When you point out a problem with the method or a missing strand of literature, the decision letter carries it to the authors.

Credit you can show

After every completed review, you can download a certificate from your dashboard. Each certificate has a number that anyone can check on our website. Each year, we also thank our reviewers by name if they agree.

A way into editorial work

Our journals fill section editor and editorial board positions through open calls, announced on our Get involved page. Applications are judged on expertise and experience. A record of careful, timely reviews is the best preparation for these roles.

Respect for your time

• You see the abstract before you decide, and you can decline any invitation. If you know a colleague who would be a better fit, you can suggest them when you decline.
• A review usually has 21 days. If you need longer, tell the editor; deadlines can be extended.
• The manuscript opens as a PDF with line numbers, so you can point to a line instead of quoting it.
• The report form is short: five questions, your recommendation, comments to the authors, and a confidential note to the editor if needed. You can save a draft and come back to it.

Free, fair, and double-blind

Reviewing for our journals is voluntary and free of charge. We never ask for payment to review or to join a board. Reviews are double-blind: you do not see the authors’ names, and they never see yours.

If this sounds like something you would like to do, tell us your topics and how many reviews a year suit you on the Review for our journals page: https://mjournals.org/get-involved/reviewers