Writing a review report, and what writers expect

Ways to present your review

There are several accepted formats for submitting a review.

1. Type your review and send it in the body of an email.
2. Type your review and send it as an attachment.
3. Use track changes on the manuscript itself and email it back, removing your name from the document before sending.
4. Type comments on the first page of the manuscript and email it back.
5. Use the ASWDNet review template and email it back. You are not expected to fill every box.

Turnaround and communication

Notify the editor as soon as you receive a manuscript whether you are able and suitable to review it. Aim to complete your review within 14 to 30 days, and tell the editor promptly if you need more time, or decline early if you cannot take it on at all. Send your completed review directly to the editor, not the author.

What writers expect

Authors submitting to a Mtandao journal expect a review that is timely, specific, and actionable. They expect comments that explain why something is a problem, not only that it is one, and where possible a suggestion for how to address it. They expect confidentiality, a fair reading even where the reviewer disagrees with the argument, and a recommendation they can understand the reasoning behind, whether or not they agree with it. Meeting these expectations is what separates a genuinely useful review from one that is merely critical.

Practical exercise: complete a review

Using the ASWDNet review template, complete a full review of a sample manuscript drawn from any of AJSW, JDA, SINCCD or the Journal of Ubuntu. Work through the review questions from Lesson 6, apply the ethics checks from Lessons 7 and 8, assess the Afrocentric grounding covered in Lesson 9, and note any concerns about AI generated content from Lesson 10. Following the peer reviewer code from Lesson 2, write a specific critical comment for title, abstract, introduction and background, theory, ethics, data collection, analysis, discussion, implications and references, then conclude with a major critical comment on the manuscript as a whole and a clear recommendation: accept, reject, or return for revisions.