Reviewing for academic journals is a valuable contribution to the field and develops academic skills. More information about peer-reviewing can be found here.

AJEE applies a double-anonymised peer review process for manuscripts. We value our reviewers and thank you for your contributions to the success of AJEE.

When a manuscript is submitted to AJEE it will be reviewed by our Editorial Assistant. We use a detailed checklist (see Preparing your Materials). If successful in this assessment, manuscripts will be forwarded to an Associate Editor who will make a final decision about acceptability for review, and manage the peer review process.

Our Associate Editors will usually invite two or three reviewers for each manuscript. Reviewers are selected from our AJEE database (sign up to be a reviewer here). Selection to review a manuscript is based on expertise in the relevant fields and the keywords listed in your AJEE profile.

Reviewers are invited by email which includes the title and abstract of the manuscript and provides links to accept or decline the invitation. To manage timely publication we request reviews to be conducted in a three week window. Early completion of reviews is greatly appreciated. If completing the review in this window becomes impossible please email to arrange an extension (provide the date by which you can complete the review) or let us know you now need to decline the invitation. Letting us know if important to manage timely progression of manuscripts through our system.

If you decline the invitation to review please take some time to suggest colleagues who may be able to support the revision of the manuscript. If the manuscript is not in your area of expertise, please log into the AJEE System to revise your keywords.

You will be sent a reminder email about your pending review one week before it is due. You will be sent additional reminders with 2 days left and again on the day the review is due. If you exceed the due date you will be reminded at 3 days and 8 days after the due date and you can submit your review at any time. We will revoke the invitation to review at 10 days after the due date and look forward to you reviewing for us next time.

We value you as reviewers and look forward to email correspondence if you have any questions.

Publons

All reviewers are offered Publons rewards for completing reviews for AJEE (please tick the relevant box in the review checklist). Publons (https://publons.com/about/home/) tracks your research impact. This is one way that AJEE supports our research community.

How to review for AJEE

AJEE provides a guide to support peer reviews that enable clear and supportive advice be provided to authors. Please provide your evaluation (very poor, poor, satisfactory, good, very good) and then describe the issue and advise possible solutions. Constructive comments are always welcomed and we encourage affirmative, strengths- based reviewing that supports authors to develop their work to the highest standards.

The peer review framework is as follows, although not all sections will be relevant to all submissions (in which case leave it blank):

• Overall Judgment: (Accept, Minor revisions, Major revisions, Resubmit, Reject)
• Clear and succinct abstract:
• Introductory statement outlining purpose and significance to environmental education research and/or practice:
• Critical engagement with relevant literature:
• Critical engagement with relevant theory:
• Appropriateness of research methodology, design and methods:
• Data presentation and analysis (if relevant):
• Strength and logic of the argument:
• Conclusions that cohere with research purposes, literature, theory and/or data:
• Significant and novel contribution to environmental education:
• Academic writing and presentation:
• Relevance to AAEE (Australian Association for Environmental Education) members and AJEE readers/subscribers:
• Confidential Comments to the Editor:
• Comments to the Author:

You will be invited to indicate if you will review this manuscript again. If the manuscript is required to undergo major revisions or resubmission it is likely that you will be invited to conduct a new revision on the updated manuscript. If the manuscript receives minor revisions the Associate Editor will manage subsequent reviews.

After submitting your review an email is sent automatically to confirm receipt. Another email is sent once the revision process is concluded including the Associate Editor’s comments and all reviewers commets. This feedback is provided to demonstrate your contribution (you can also check your alignment with the other reviewers feedback).

Thank you for contributing to the AJEE as a reviewer.