Peer review process

Peer review process

The manuscripts submitted for publication in the Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Biomédica will be reviewed by two independent referees at least, selected by an associated editor. This process is carried out under the double-blind modality, where the identity of both,  authors and reviewers  will be anonymous.

Principles for Peer Revision

Peer revision is one of the most important and critical elements for the publication of scientific papers; this should ensure the excellence of research published by the Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Biomédica (RMIB, for its Spanish acronym).

The submitted manuscript is always considered a confidential document.  Therefore, no one is authorized to share the manuscript without the explicit permission of the Editor-in-Chief, who should request permission from the authors if necessary.

For a quality revision, at least two arbiters are consulted, and their identity will not be revealed.  The comments and recommendations of the copy editors should be shared only with the authors, possibly with other copy editors, and the Editorial Board of the RMIB.

Our copy editors should note the following points before agreeing to revise an article:

  • Am I qualified to evaluate the article?  If not, please inform the editor as soon as possible.
  • Can I send the evaluation before the deadline set by the editorial board of the RMIB, if not, please inform the editor as soon as possible.
  • Is there any conflict of interest at the time of revising the article? For example: the article is from a colleague or you are co-author of the article.

Revision of an Article on the Platform

La Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Biomédica uses the OJS platform for the submission and revision of articles.  You must log in to the OJS of the RMIB.  If you are not yet registered, you can register here and follow the instructions.  Once registered, please complete the “profile” section which consists of six sections.  This information will help us to more easily select articles that you can revise.

In case you have any problems with your account, please send an email to rib.somib@gmail.com

Revising an article is a confidential process.  Therefore, the manuscript can not be revealed.  If you consider it necessary to know the opinion of other colleagues to help you with the revision of the article, please ask the editorial board of the RMIB for permission.

For the revision of the manuscript, the following aspects must be taken into account:

  • Relevance to the central theme of the journal:  Does the manuscript address any of the specialities of biomedical engineering?
  • Originality:  Does the article contribute to knowledge in the field?  Have the results reported in the article been published elsewhere?
  • Relevance:  Is it new and interesting enough to ensure publication?  Does it answer any important research questions?
  • Organization and Structure:  Does the manuscript adhere to all the formatting guidelines of the RMIB?
  • Language:  Is the language clear and unequivocal?
  • Abstract:  Does it reflect the work outlined in the main text?  It contains the following criteria:  Objective of the research, methodology, results, implications, originality, and conclusions.
  • Definition of the Problem:  In the introduction, does it have enough information regarding the problem wished to be solved?
  • Methodology:  Does the manuscript have sufficient information about the experiments?  Is there enough information so that the paper can be reproduced?  Is the methodology explained with the necessary scientific rigor ensuring that the results are meaningful and defensible?
  • Results:  Do the authors explain the results and the discoveries obtained from the applied methodology?  Is the applied statistical analysis correct?  Is the discussion of the results supported by other scientific articles?
  • Conclusion:  Does it summarize the main scientific contributions of the manuscript?
  • References:  Are they supported and sufficient to support the discussion?
  • Other Aspects:  Does the manuscript contain sufficient information to support the discussion, especially if the paper is based on previous research?  Is there any important information or references of key articles that the authors have omitted?  Are the figures, tables, diagrams, and pictures presented in the article clear, legible, and consistent?

Ethical aspects

  • Plagiarism:  Although the objective of peer revision is not to detect plagiarism, if you suspect that the article contains substantial parts of other works, please contact the editor-in-chief, providing as much information as possible.
  • Fraud:  If you suspect that the results of the paper are not entirely correct, please inform the editor-in-chief, providing as much information as possible.
  • Research Involving Human Beings or Animals:  Is there a protocol approved by an accredited ethics committee?  Information about the persons involved in the research (volunteers/patients) is kept confidential or has been published with their explicit permission.

Submission of judgment to the Editor

The RMIB uses an electronic form within the OJS platform which will be enabled once you accept to be a copy editor of an article.  This form consists of five sections; the first four sections are composed of questions that should be answered clearly and concisely taking into account the important aspects mentioned above.  However, in the last section you will be able go into depth and broaden your revision making recommendations for the authors; it is important to make it clear if your comments reflect a personal opinion or are based on other published papers.  Also, remember that revisions should be constructive and polite, always respecting the intellectual independence of the author.  Copy editors should avoid personal comments; the RMIB reserves the right to correct comments that may hinder the constructive discussion of the manuscripts.

Finally, you must select a final judgment:

  • Accepted
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Rejected