I. Review Principles Microbiology China adopts a single-blind peer review system, the process upholds fairness, impartiality, objectivity, and professionalism to ensure academic rigor and innovation.
II. Review Process
1. Initial Screening
The editorial board conducts a preliminary check on format and content, rejecting manuscripts that do not align with the journal’s scope or contain obvious academic flaws.
Passed manuscripts proceed to peer review.
2. Peer Review
The editorial board invites 2-3 experts in the relevant field for single-blind evaluation.
Review timeline: 4-8 weeks (may extend for complex manuscripts).
3. Final Decision
The editorial board integrates reviewer comments to make a final decision.
Controversial cases may be escalated to the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editors for reconsideration.
III. Reviewer Responsibilities
1. Confidentiality
Reviewers must keep manuscript content, author details, and the review process strictly confidential, prohibiting disclosure or personal use.
2、Evaluation Criteria
Academic Novelty: Does the study address gaps or advance existing knowledge?
Methodological Rigor: Are experimental designs and data analyses sound and reproducible?
Result Credibility: Are conclusions supported by evidence without exaggeration?
Ethical Compliance: Studies involving humans/animals or genetic editing must include ethics approval statements.
Language & Format: Compliance with journal guidelines (e.g., bilingual abstracts, reference style).
IV. Author Rights & Obligations
1. Appeal Rights
Authors may contest reviewer comments; the editorial board will re-evaluate and respond.
2. Revision Obligations
Authors must address all comments point-by-point, submitting a response letter and revised manuscript via the system.
Failure to revise adequately or within deadlines may result in rejection.
3. Academic Integrity
Duplicate submission, data fabrication, or plagiarism will lead to public retraction and notification of the author’s institution.
V. Editorial Oversight
1. Reviewer Performance Monitoring
The editorial board regularly evaluates reviewer efficiency and fairness, removing unqualified experts.
2. Academic misconduct detection and handling
The CNKI Academic Misconduct Literature Detection System will be used for duplication detection, and the duplication rate of the manuscript must be below 15%. If any academic misconduct is found in the manuscript, it will be rejected.
3. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Reviewers must declare potential conflicts (e.g., collaborations, competitions) and recuse themselves if necessary.
4. Grievance Redress
Authors may appeal decisions via email (tongbao@im.ac.cn) to the editorial board.
