Review Process

The manuscript submission and editorial review process includes the following steps:

1. An author submits a manuscript.

2. The manuscript is assigned to an editor, who reviews the manuscript and makes an initial decision based on manuscript quality and editorial priorities.

3. For those manuscripts sent for external peer review, the editor assigns reviewers to the manuscript.

4. The reviewers review the manuscript.

5. The editor makes a final decision based on editorial priorities, manuscript quality, reviewer recommendations, and perhaps discussions with fellow editors.

6. The decision letter is sent to the author.

As a reviewer, you are responsible for the fourth step.

Navigating the System

When you first log into the system, you will be taken to your Home Page. It will have different categories of tasks (ie, Author Tasks, Reviewer Tasks, General Tasks). If you are needed to perform a pending action item, there will be a red arrow next to a manuscript link. After clicking on this link, you will be presented with a Manuscript screen containing:

• Detailed information about a specific manuscript.

• Links to the manuscript and associated tables/figures and related documents/files.

If there are no red arrows visible on your Home Page, then you are finished.

Review Manuscript

After logging into the system and clicking on a manuscript link preceded by a red arrow, you will be presented with a Manuscript screen as described above.

Note: You may find it helpful to download and print the PDF file of the manuscript to review offline prior to preparing your reviewer remarks. If you have extensive remarks to the editor or author, we recommend working offline and drafting your reviewer remarks using a word processor. Then you can copy/paste your remarks back into the reviewer remarks box on the reviewer assessment form. If you have a very lengthy review, you may upload a Word document that includes your comments instead of copying and pasting them into the form. Please note: When you have completed your review, you must delete or destroy all copies of downloaded or printed manuscript files, as these are the property of the submitting authors.

At the bottom of this screen under Manuscript Tasks a Review Manuscript link is displayed. Clicking on this link will display the Review Manuscript screen. This screen is broken into 7 parts as follows:

1. Recommendation

2. Timing, quality, and priority

3. Specific questions about the manuscript's quality

4. Remarks to the editor

5. Remarks to the author

6. Conflict of interest statement for you

7. Disposal statement

Getting Help

If you need additional help, you can click on the help signs throughout the system. A help dialog will pop up with context-sensitive help.

You can also contact the editorial office at archoto@jama-archives.org or +434-960-9202 or +434-960-9203 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. We will respond within 1 business day.

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