Ethics, Confidentiality, and Reviewer Responsibilities in the Peer Review Process

Ethics and Confidentiality

The principle of confidentiality is a fundamental element ensuring the reliability and integrity of the peer review process.

• Review invitations, abstracts, manuscripts, reviewer reports, and editorial correspondence must be treated with strict confidentiality.
• Reviewers must not share manuscripts, reviewer reports, or any information related to the peer review process with third parties without the explicit permission of the editorial office.
• The obligation of confidentiality continues both during and after the peer review process, including after the manuscript has been published.
• Reviewers must not use unpublished information or data obtained during the evaluation process for personal, academic, or professional advantage.
• Reviewers are required to disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or academic conflicts of interest that could influence an impartial evaluation and, when necessary, decline the review invitation.

Reviewers who accept an invitation to review for EBOR Journal are considered to have agreed to comply with these ethical principles and to conduct the evaluation process in accordance with them.

Tone and Professional Conduct

Reviewers are expected to use a respectful, constructive, impartial, and professional tone throughout the evaluation process.

• Criticisms should be directed at the manuscript, not at the author.
• Demeaning, sarcastic, or personal expressions must be avoided.
• Comments should be presented as constructive suggestions aimed at improving the quality of the manuscript.
• Reviewers should recognize their guiding role, particularly for researchers at the early stages of their academic careers.

Ethical Responsibilities

Reviewers should immediately inform the editor if they identify any of the following issues:

• Possible plagiarism or duplicate publication
• Ethical concerns related to data collection procedures or participant consent
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Excessive, inappropriate, or undeclared use of content generated by artificial intelligence

All ethical concerns must be communicated confidentially to the editor and should not be reported directly to the authors.

Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools by Reviewers

Reviewers may use artificial intelligence tools in a limited and responsible manner—for example, for language assistance or summarization purposes—to better understand the manuscript. However:

• Reviewer reports must reflect the reviewer’s independent academic judgment.
• Manuscripts must not be uploaded to public or unsecured AI platforms.
• AI tools must not replace critical human evaluation and academic responsibility.

Timely Review

The timely completion of peer review reports is essential for maintaining an efficient and professional editorial process.

• Reviewers are expected to submit their evaluation reports within the specified review period.
• If a delay becomes unavoidable, reviewers should inform the editorial office without delay.