Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about ReviewerCredits or need assistance with our platform, you’ve come to the right place. Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page is designed to provide you with answers to the most common queries and help you navigate through our services. Whether you’re a seasoned user or just getting started, this resource is here to make your experience with ReviewerCredits as seamless and informative as possible. If you can’t find the information you need, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team for further assistance.

What is ReviewerCredits?

Reviewer Credits is the leading AI-powered cross-publisher platform for finding, rewarding, and keeping engaged peer reviewers for scholarly journals and publishers to ensure research integrity and speed up the publication cycle.

ReviewerCredits offers a unique system where reviewers can register their completed reviews and receive recognition in the form of certificates and rewards. This recognition not only serves as a testament to their contribution but also enhances their academic credentials.

It is an online platform where scientists of all disciplines working on peer review can register for free to record their completed reviews and engage in new peer review requests from registered journals and publishers. Peer reviewers are recognised in the form of certificates and rewarded with non-cash rewards (Credit Points) or monetary compensation. Peer reviewers can use their Credit Points to receive services, goods, and discounts provided by Reviewer Credits in the Reviewer Credits Reward Center.

Reviewer Credits helps journals and publishers ensure research integrity and simplify their peer review processes. This includes searching for suitable reviewers, their onboarding and buy-in, and managing services such as the payment to reviewers. Reviewer Credits also offers peer review analysis, i.e. analysis of the gender, geographical distribution, seniority, etc. of the reviewers appointed.

In essence, ReviewerCredits not only supports individual reviewers but also empowers journals and publishers to uphold high standards of research integrity, making it an indispensable tool in the realm of academic publishing.

What role do you play in Research Integrity?

We are rapidly establishing ourselves as a leading voice in research and publishing integrity. Our innovative platform and dedicated efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical practices in scholarly publishing have positioned us as a burgeoning opinion leader in this critical field. Through our commitment to enhancing the peer review process, rewarding reviewer contributions, and fostering compliance with ethical standards, we are setting new benchmarks for integrity in academic research. Our growing influence reflects our dedication to shaping a more reliable and ethical research landscape for all.

What is the difference between ReviewerCredits and other services for peer reviewers?

ReviewerCredits is unique in its reliable cross-publisher certification process and in enabling scholarly editors to reward their peer reviewers with tangible Credit Points and monetary rewards.

I want to review - what shall I do?

Signup for Free > Sync your academic merits with ORCID ID > Complete your profile > Choose your preferences and availability for peer review > Receive peer review requests from the subscribed journals and publishers.

Why am I receiving emails from ReviewerCredits.com?

You are receiving emails from ReviewerCredits.com because a journal or publishing house you review for is registered with us, you've engaged with our services or content in social media, or our registered peer reviewers have referred you to us. Our communications are designed to provide updates on best practises in peer review, recognition opportunities, rewards, and insights into enhancing research integrity within your personal publications. Should you have any questions or wish to adjust your email preferences, you always have the option to unsubscribe. Please feel free to reach out to our support team for further assistance or if you need help with the unsubscribe process.

Is there any fee to join ReviewerCredits?

Joining ReviewerCredits is free for peer reviewers, with options to customize your profile and integration with ORCID iD.

How can I sync my ORCID reviews?

You can synchronize your ORCID reviews by logging into your ReviewerCredits profile and updating your reviewer profile with ORCID information.

How can I locate my email activation or password reset mail if I can't find it?

Check your spam folder for email activation or password reset mails. If it doesn’t help, please contacts us.

If I've forgotten my password, can you change it?

You need to request a password reset for forgotten passwords.

How do I earn credits?

After completing the review of a manuscript, login to ReviewerCredits.com and enter the required details (Journal title, Editorial office email address, Manuscript ID, Date review completed). No confidential information is required or disclosed. After registering a review, we ask confirmation to the Journal’s editor and, once confirmation is received, we will add the credits to your personal area. Depending on the Journal profile on ReviewerCredits.com, your credits may vary. You also earn credits if you invite a colleague to join the platform.

What are Reviewer Credits (Credit Points)?

Reviewer Credits (RC) are virtual Credit Ponts (CP) that editors can reward their peer reviewers with for completed peer reviews. These Credit Points can be redeemed for author services and other discountsin our Reward Center

Each RC is equivalent to 10 EUR and allows reviewers to redeem credits against publishing discounts, editorial support, translation, statistical analysis, post-publication products, and more. These rewards are provided with exclusive discounts from our partners. ReviewerCredits ensures these unique discounts are passed directly to the users, with no profit markup.

What can I do with my credits?

Credits can be used in the Reward Center for various benefits, including discounted article processing charges and online courses.

How do monetary rewards work?

We also offer to journals and publishers the option of monetary compensation of their best-performing peer reviewers through our Stripe payment functionality. To receive monetary rewards from your journals and publishers, open an account with Stripe on your peer reviewer dashboard.

Can credits be converted into Continuous Medical Education (CME)?

Credits cannot be converted into CME or any other credits.

What does “Register a review” mean?

Registering a review means recording your peer review activities for rewards and certification.

Where can I find the email address of the editorial office?

The email address can usually be found in the journal's correspondence or by contacting the journal directly.

What is the timeframe to register peer reviews?

Peer reviews performed in the last 20 years can be registered and certified.

Can I register reviews I have performed before signing up with ReviewerCredits?

Yes, reviews from the past 20 years can be registered even if performed before joining ReviewerCredits.

What should I do to register a review for a journal not listed in your database?

Our database includes all Journals indexed in "Scopus" and/or who signed up to ReviewerCredits. In order not to miss any review from your activity, we suggest that you contact the editorial office of this Journal and ask them to open a free profile on ReviewerCredits. In this way you will be able to register peer reviews also for this Journal. You can also Contact us and we will help you to solve the issue.

Is it possible for me to conduct reviews for you? Are you a journal or a publisher?

ReviewerCredits is not a journal or publisher; it's a platform for acknowledging peer reviewers' work. In order to receive peer review requests from our subscribed journals and publishers Signup for Free > Sync your academic merits with ORCID ID > Complete your profile > Choose your preferences and availability for peer review.

How can I review for a specific journal through ReviewerCredits?

ReviewerCredits does not facilitate direct peer reviewing for specific journals or publishers. For reviewing opportunities, please specify journals and publishers for which you would like to perform peer reviews in your profile settings, or contact the journal or publishers directly.

What is the Peer Review Certificate?

The Peer Reviewer Certificate is a proof of your reviewing activity, listing peer reviews by year and can be used for career advancement.

Can you send me my Peer Reviewer Certificate?

The Peer Reviewer Certificate can be downloaded from your profile on the platform.

What is Reviewer Contribution Index (RCI)?

RCI measures the contribution of peer reviewers based on review report length, delivery time, and alignment with editorial decision.

May I know my RCI?

Your RCI is available in your profile if at least one collaborating journal subscribes to the RCI feature.

How can I become an ambassador?

Fill in the Ambassador request form to become an ambassador.

Ethical Considerations

As a proud member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Reviewer Credits is deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in scholarly publishing. In line with this commitment, we actively promote the adoption of COPE's Core Practices, which have been the cornerstone of ethical publishing guidelines since replacing the Code of Conduct in 2017. These practices provide a comprehensive framework for ethical decision-making and conduct, applicable to all stakeholders involved in the publication of scholarly literature. We encourage our community to embrace these standards to ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of the academic publishing ecosystem.

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What is ReviewerCredits?

Reviewer Credits is the leading AI-powered cross-publisher platform for finding, rewarding, and keeping engaged peer reviewers for scholarly journals and publishers to ensure research integrity and speed up the publication cycle.

It is an online platform where scientists of all disciplines working on peer review can register for free to record their completed reviews and engage in new peer review requests from registered journals and publishers. Peer reviewers are recognised in the form of certificates and rewarded with non-cash rewards (Credit Points) or monetary compensation. Peer reviewers can use their Credit Points to receive services, goods, and discounts provided by Reviewer Credits in the Reviewer Credits Reward Center.

Reviewer Credits helps journals and publishers ensure research integrity and simplify their peer review processes. This includes searching for suitable reviewers, their onboarding and buy-in, and managing services such as the payment to reviewers. Reviewer Credits also offers peer review analysis, i.e. analysis of the gender, geographical distribution, seniority, etc. of the reviewers appointed.

Learn more about available features for journals and publishers here.

What challenges do you address?
  1. Verifying Reviewer Identity: We offer peace of mind with verifiable authenticity checks for all peer reviewers.
  2. Streamlining Reviewer Recruitment: We tackle the challenge of time-intensive searches to find qualified peer reviewers.
  3. Boosting Acceptance Rates: We significantly enhance the likelihood that peer reviewers will accept requests via targeted matching. We only search from a pool of reviewers who have already expressed an interest.
  4. Reducing Reviewer Turnover: We minimize reviewer loss via topical targeting and by supporting loyalty and satisfaction.
  5. Enhancing Engagement: We enhance active participation and commitment levels among peer reviewers.
What role do you play in Research Integrity?

We are rapidly establishing ourselves as a leading voice in research and publishing integrity. Our innovative platform and dedicated efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical practices in scholarly publishing have positioned us as a burgeoning opinion leader in this critical field. Through our commitment to enhancing the peer review process, rewarding reviewer contributions, and fostering compliance with ethical standards, we are setting new benchmarks for integrity in academic research. Our growing influence reflects our dedication to shaping a more reliable and ethical research landscape for all.

What are the advantages of creating a "Journal profile" on our website?

Creating a Journal or Publisher profile on ReviewerCredits.com is free and offers a robust suite of benefits designed to streamline the peer review process. By joining ReviewerCredits, you enable comprehensive acknowledgement for your peer reviewers. Our system seamlessly integrates with your manuscript submission system, allowing you to automatically register all peer reviews performed in the last 20 years. This process not only recognises reviewers’ efforts but also enhances their academic credentials with cross-publisher certification.

Our Premium subscription plan unlocks further powerful features. This includes unlimited use of our AI-Powered Reviewer Finder, advanced reviewer identity verification with biometric checks, the ability to issue cross-publisher Peer Review Certificates. Premium users can also leverage monetary incentives to reward reviewers, access in-depth performance analytics, and benefit from seamless technical integrations.

Reviewer Credits facilitates authenticity checks, increases acceptance rates through targeted matching, reduces reviewer turnover, and expedites the publishing cycle with AI-powered tools. By registering for free or opting for the Premium plan, journals not only enhance their operational efficiency but also contribute to the elevation of research integrity and publication quality, positioning themselves as leaders in the scholarly community.

Is there a fee to open a profile on ReviewerCredits?

Journals and Publishers can join with free profiles, allowing their reviewers to build a reputation with cross-publisher certification. We also provide Premium subscription plan tailored to your needs.

Why are we receiving emails from ReviewerCredits.com?

You are receiving emails from ReviewerCredits.com because your journal or publishing house is registered with us, or you've engaged with our services or content related to managing and rewarding peer reviewers, or our registered peer reviewers have referred you to us. Our communications are designed to provide updates on peer review management, recognition opportunities for your reviewers, and insights into enhancing research integrity within your publications. Should you have any questions or wish to adjust your email preferences, you always have the option to unsubscribe. Please feel free to reach out to our support team for further assistance or if you need help with the unsubscribe process.

For more info, please have a look to our policy page.

Where do you get the data concerning the peer reviews performed for our Journal?

The data concerning the peer reviews performed for your journal is sourced directly from the peer reviewers when they submit a claim through the ReviewerCredits.com platform. Reviewers provide essential details, including the Editorial Office's email address. This contributes to the reviewers' credibility by increasing their Reviewer Index and enabling them to prove their academic performance metrics and credibility.

Moreover, if your journal is integrated with ReviewerCredits.com via our free APIs, the information transfer becomes automated, streamlining the process further. The integration allows for real-time validation of review claims, significantly enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the peer review process. This seamless integration ensures that the data is accurate, up-to-date, and reflective of the actual reviews conducted for your journal.

Is peer review information made public?

No, the information provided by the peer reviewers is not made public on the website nor shared with third parties.

What are the steps to find reviewers?

Signup for Free: Experience the difference with a free trial subscription, sign up now and explore our platform’s full range of features, completely risk-free. Discover how we can streamline and enhance your journal’s peer review process during your complimentary trial period.

Upload the Manuscript: Upload the manuscript for peer review, whether it’s an article, monograph, book chapter, or conference paper, with our straightforward upload process.

Customize Reviewer Search: Optimize your reviewer recruitment using our exclusive multifactor search. This tailored approach boosts acceptance rates up to 95%. Diversify your reviewer pool effectively with our unique suite of customizable parameters, such as gender, location, experience, performance metrics, and availability, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced review process.

Select Best-Fit Candidates: Our AI algorithms analyze your manuscript’s meta-data to present a ranked list of best-fit candidates, tailored to your custom search criteria. Review their detailed profiles and select the reviewers who best align with your manuscript’s needs.

Initiate Effortless Peer Review: Once you’ve chosen your ideal peer reviewers, we handle the seamless onboarding process. This ensures you engage with fully committed and responsive reviewers, ready to start the review process.

What are Reviewer Credits (Credit Points)?

Reviewer Credits (RC) are virtual Credit Ponts (CP) that editors can reward their peer reviewers with for completed peer reviews. These Credit Points can be redeemed for author services and other discounts in our Reward Center.

Each RC is equivalent to 10 EUR and allows reviewers to redeem credits against publishing discounts, editorial support, translation, statistical analysis, post-publication products, and more. These rewards are provided with exclusive discounts from our partners. ReviewerCredits ensures these unique discounts are passed directly to the users, with no profit markup.

How do monetary rewards work?

We also offer the option of monetary compensation of your best-performing peer reviewers through our Stripe payment functionality. To use the proven Stripe solution for cash payments you open an account with Stripe when working with us and make prepayments. This is then disbursed to reviewers via the Stripe platform according to your instructions and the Reviewer Credits process. Unlock features available through our Premium plan and get a quotation that fits best with your needs, goals, audience, and country.

What method can I use to allocate Credit Points?

Credits can be allocated through subscription to our Premium Plan, enabling journals and publishers to reward reviewers’ efforts with Credit Points or monetary incentives.

What steps should I follow to obtain Peer Review Process Certificate?

To elevate your journal’s visibility and credibility through our peer review process certification, acknowledging your commitment to peer review excellence over the years for reviewed articles, monographs, book chapters and conference papers, subscribe to our Premium Plan.

Then, ReviewerCredits seamlessly integrates with your manuscript submission system, allowing you to automatically register all peer reviews performed in the last 20 years, to issue the Certificate and Dynamic Badge for your website, certifying your ongoing dedication to peer review excellence in real-time.

Is there a way to modify the XYZ field in my profile?

To ensure the integrity and verification of data, certain profile fields like Journal title, ISSN, Publisher, etc., are not subject to editing. If a change is necessary, please Contact us for a review and possible approval of the modification.

How do I go about integrating with Editorial Manager, OJS, API, or other systems?

For integrating with systems like Editorial Manager, OJS, API, etc., please visit our Technical Integrations page. There, you will find comprehensive instructions and support tailored to the integration process.

Can I use OJS to search for peer reviewers within the Premium plan?

Within the Premium plan, the search for peer reviewers must be conducted through the ReviewerCredits system. Our AI-powered Reviewer Finder allows editors to efficiently and effectively find the best-fit peer reviewers, with customizable search preferences and multifactor search features to expedite the publishing cycle. Using OJS for reviewer search is not supported; instead, our advanced platform provides access to a certified global community of reviewers, enhancing the ability to engage reviewers with proven expertise.

Can I directly upload review reports through OJS after integrating with ReviewerCredits, or do I need to log in to the ReviewerCredits system each time?

Journals can initially import review reports into the ReviewerCredits platform using the OJS plugin. Once set up, the OJS plugin will prompt reviewers to submit their reviews directly, allowing new reviews to be automatically imported into our system, provided the reviewer agrees. For journals that wish to update their review data more frequently, manual export and import of review reports can be done monthly. In cases where data is sent without reviewer approval, we will inform the reviewers accordingly.

Ethical Considerations

As a proud member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Reviewer Credits is deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in scholarly publishing. In line with this commitment, we actively promote the adoption of COPE's Core Practices, which have been the cornerstone of ethical publishing guidelines since replacing the Code of Conduct in 2017. These practices provide a comprehensive framework for ethical decision-making and conduct, applicable to all stakeholders involved in the publication of scholarly literature. We encourage our community to embrace these standards to ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of the academic publishing ecosystem.