Referees are sent invitations to review papers by journal editors. Most will either make requests by email or using an online submission and review system. We understand that our reviewers are busy so it won’t always be possible for invitations to be accepted. In order to avoid delays we would be grateful to reviewers to let us know as soon as possible if they need to refuse a review or if a problem arises after the invitation has been accepted.
ORCID
As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID
ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized.
Researchers can also use their ORCID to gain recognition of their peer reviewing activities. Read ORCID’s six tips for building an authoritative ORCID record here: https://orcid.org/blog/2017/08/10/six-ways-make-your-orcid-id-work-you
Many journals in the Sage portfolio use Sage Track or Sage Track Sage(STS); Sage Track was developed in conjunction with ScholarOne based on the industry leading ScholarOne Manuscripts system (formerly Manuscript Central) while Sage Track Sage (STS) is SAGE’s in house Peer review system.
The initial invitation will contain brief information about the article to allow the reviewer to make a decision about whether they would like to pursue the review. Using the links within the email, reviewers can communicate their decision to the editorial office easily and cleanly.
If the reviewer accepts the invitation another email will be sent to them that contains links and information to allow the reviewer to reach the paper and make the responses necessary. Once registered on the journal’s Sage Track/Sage Track Sage site the reviewer just needs to sign in to get to links that will take them to all papers assigned to them as a reviewer. If they are also a contributing author to the journal they will see information about their own papers too. This allows everyone to access a journal site with one log in. The Reviewer Centre link takes you to the list of papers that you have agreed to review.
Using the forms available, you will have the opportunity to make decision recommendations and full comments. through Sage Track/Sage Track Sage Many sites allow you to make two sets of comments, one of which is directed to the attention of the editor only and the other that the editor can send on to the author to allow you to direct questions or recommendations appropriately.
In Sage Track, under the Resources section for each journal you will find a link to User Tutorials. On the page that follows choose Reviewer from the four options available and you will see a list of FAQs to help you with many user situations.
Email submission
Journals that do not use Sage Track/Sage Track Sage usually request that reviewers email their comments directly to the editor. Reviewers should check their invitation email carefully and email the editor direct if they have any queries about how to reply.