Points Reward Rules
Newly-registered and verified reviewers to the platform will receive a 20-point registration reward. Reviewers will then receive points reward for activities such as reviewing manuscripts, inviting peers to join the ARES system, and recommending reviewers to editors. Reviewers are free to redeem the points for cash when they achieve a certain amount. The redeemed points will be eliminated once they are redeemed successfully.
Points reward rules are as follows:
Registration Rewards
Successfully registered and verified reviewers will receive a 20-point reward. Reviewers who accept the editor's invitation will receive registration rewards directly after completing the information. If the invited reviewers directly review the manuscript without completing the report, the review will be awarded after the review is completed.
Review Rewards
Reviewers will receive 0–10 point rewards for each manuscript reviewed based on the scores of review quality and efficiency.
Reward for Recommending Reviewers
Reviewers, who reject review invitations, are encouraged to recommend alternatives to the editor. Once the alternatives are adopted by the editor, the reviewers will be rewarded with points.
Reward for Inviting Peers
Reviewers are encouraged to invite their peers to join ARES. They will receive 5 points if the invited peer registered successfully and verified as a reviewer.
Items | Points | Notes |
Registration | 20 points/user | Receive the points once verified |
Reviewed manuscripts | 0-10 points/per manuscript | Based on the scores of review quality and efficiency |
Successful recommendation | 1 point/per recommendation | Recommended reviewer is invited by the Editor |
Successful invitation | 5 points /reviewer | The recommended peer is verified as a reviewer |
Scoring Standard
★Quality Scores:
Scores are based on the following indicators (full score: 5)
Familiarity with the field
Full and accurate comments
Proper and unbiased opinion
Feasible suggestions
Facilitation to the manuscript
Overall Review Quality
The overall review quality means the average score of the above five indicators calculated by the system.
★Speed Scores:
Scores are based on the following table (full score: 5)
Scenarios of submitting a review report | Speed scores |
On time | 5 |
One day delayed | 4 |
Two days delayed | 3 |
Three days delayed | 2 |
Delayed more than three days | 1 |
No review report submitted before AE recommendation | 0 |
Rewards Measures
Redeem Points
Starting from 50 points. One point for 1US dollar. The redeemed points shall be eliminated once they are redeemed successfully.
Annual Rewards
The platform's annual rewards include the maximum number of reviews reward, the fastest reviewer reward, and the best review quality reward. The winners will receive a certificate accordingly.
Disciplinary Measures
Disciplinary measures refer to the following table.
These scenarios will be verified before punishment
Items | Disciplinary Measures | |
Falsification of resumes or personal information | Clear points Cancel review qualification Remove from the review pool | |
Review misconduct: Ø Unethical review Ø Violate the rules of conflicts of interest Ø Violate the rules of confidentiality Ø Interrupt review process Ø Steal author’s work Ø Seek inappropriate interest Ø Other review misconduct | Ø First time: Clear points | |
Ø Second time: Cancel review qualification Remove from the review pool | ||
Reported no reply to the review invitation without explanation to editor | Clear points Half-year review ban | |
Reported no response after accepting review invitation | Clear points Half-year review ban | |
Academic misconduct: Ø Plagiarism or falsification of data Ø Misappropriation of the ideas of others Ø Improprieties of authorship Ø Material failure to comply with legislative Ø Regulatory requirements affecting research Ø Duplicate publication or lack of declaration Ø Inappropriate behavior concerning misconduct | Clear points Remove from the review pool | |