Process and Issues with Review of Manuscripts for Health-Related Journals

Magazines are periodicals characterized by their articles, pictures, and advertisements to generally inform and entertain readers on a variety of topics. In contrast, professional journals are publications that update and provide new research results for professionals in a specific field. Unlike magazines, the articles in professional journals have undergone assessments by their professional peers for validity and reliability of their content. In other words, peer review is the hallmark of professional journals informing and advancing the knowledge of a professional field. No where else is it more important than in health-related journals to have valid and reliable information. This commentary's purpose is to review the process of peer review, and the journals professional roles involved in that process.