Reviewer Guidelines

Journal of Childhood Education

1. Purpose of Peer Review

The peer-review process aims to ensure that all manuscripts published in the Journal of Childhood Education demonstrate strong scholarly contribution, methodological rigor, ethical integrity, and relevance to early childhood education research and practice. Reviewers play a critical role in safeguarding academic quality, supporting authors’ development, and maintaining international publication standards.

The journal adopts a double-blind peer review system, in which both reviewers and authors remain anonymous to ensure fairness, objectivity, and impartial evaluation.

2. Scope of Manuscripts for Review

Reviewers should evaluate submissions based on their alignment with the journal’s focus on:

  • Early childhood education and development

  • Learning and pedagogy in early years

  • Curriculum design and assessment

  • Educational psychology and child learning

  • Inclusive education and educational innovation for young learners

  • Teacher education and classroom practices

Manuscripts must demonstrate theoretical grounding, sound research methodology, and practical or scholarly implications.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to adhere to international publication ethics standards, including COPE principles.

Reviewers must:

  • Maintain strict confidentiality of all manuscripts and review materials.

  • Declare any conflict of interest (institutional, financial, or personal).

  • Provide objective and constructive feedback.

  • Avoid using unpublished data for personal research.

  • Report suspected plagiarism, ethical misconduct, or AI misuse.

If reviewers cannot complete the review within the assigned timeframe or feel unqualified to assess the manuscript, they should decline promptly.

4. Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers are requested to evaluate manuscripts based on the following dimensions:

4.1 Originality and Contribution

Assess whether the study presents novel insights, theoretical advancement, or innovative pedagogical practices in childhood education.

4.2 Relevance to Journal Scope

Ensure the manuscript clearly relates to early childhood education, child development, or pedagogical practice.

4.3 Theoretical Framework

Evaluate whether the study is grounded in relevant educational theories and current scholarly literature.

4.4 Methodological Rigor

Consider:

  • Research design appropriateness

  • Sampling procedures

  • Data collection methods

  • Validity and reliability strategies

  • Ethical considerations involving children

4.5 Data Analysis and Interpretation

Check whether analysis methods are appropriate and whether conclusions are supported by data.

4.6 Academic Writing Quality

Assess clarity, coherence, academic English, and logical structure.

4.7 Practical and Policy Implications

High-quality manuscripts should demonstrate implications for educators, researchers, or policymakers in early childhood education.

5. Reviewer Recommendation Categories

After completing the evaluation, reviewers should select one of the following decisions:

  • Accept without revision

  • Minor revision required

  • Major revision required

  • Reject

Reviewers are encouraged to provide specific, actionable suggestions to improve the manuscript.

6. Constructive Feedback Standards

Reviews should be:

  • Evidence-based rather than opinion-based

  • Respectful and professional in tone

  • Specific, clear, and structured

  • Focused on improving scientific quality

Avoid personal criticism or non-academic language.

7. Plagiarism and Integrity Check

If reviewers suspect plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, or unethical research involving children, they must notify the editorial team immediately.

The journal uses plagiarism screening tools and ethical verification procedures before publication.

8. Use of Artificial Intelligence

Reviewers should not upload manuscripts to external AI tools or share content with third parties. If AI-generated content is suspected, reviewers may flag concerns to the editor for further assessment.

9. Review Timeline

Reviewers are expected to submit their reports within 2–4 weeks after accepting the invitation. Timely review supports efficient editorial decision-making and maintains publication quality.

10. Confidential Comments to Editors

Reviewers may provide private comments to editors regarding:

  • Ethical concerns

  • Methodological issues

  • Publication suitability

  • Recommendation justification

11. Commitment to International Standards

By accepting a review assignment, reviewers contribute to advancing the Journal of Childhood Education toward internationally recognized indexing standards through rigorous, transparent, and ethical peer-review practices.