Statistical & Methodological Review — per manuscript

Overview

Your subject reviewers can judge whether a paper matters. Fewer of them can say whether the sample size was justified, whether the model fits the design, or whether the reported p-values support the conclusions. Dedicated statistical review is standard at large medical and scientific publishers and rarely available to small journals, which leaves editors accepting analyses nobody on the board could fully check. This service provides a methods and statistics report on a single manuscript by a qualified reviewer, with a recommendation the editor can weigh alongside the subject reviews. It is for journals in medicine, health sciences, psychology, education and the social sciences that publish quantitative work.

What’s Included

• A written report covering study design, sampling and power, statistical methods, assumptions, handling of missing data, multiplicity, and whether the results support the stated conclusions
• Line-referenced comments the editor can pass to authors
• A recommendation to the editor: acceptable as is, acceptable with specified revisions, requires re-analysis, or not salvageable in current form
• A short list of questions for the authors where information is missing
• Re-review of the revised manuscript once, on request

How It Works

1. The editor sends the manuscript, supplementary files and any subject reviews already received.
2. We match the manuscript to a reviewer with the relevant methodological background.
3. The reviewer returns the report, normally within ten working days.
4. The editor incorporates the report into the decision as they see fit.
5. Pricing is per manuscript. Journals that want statistical review on every quantitative paper can arrange a standing agreement.

What Stays With Your Editors

The report is advice to the editor. The editor decides whether to share it with the authors, how much weight to give it, and what the decision is. Our reviewers do not communicate with authors directly and do not participate in the decision beyond the report.

Important Limitations

• Review is based on what the manuscript reports. If the raw data are not available, the reviewer cannot verify the analysis was run as described.
• Highly specialized methods (for example, certain Bayesian, genomic or econometric techniques) may require a reviewer we need extra time to source.
• A favorable report does not guarantee the study is free of error, and it is not a substitute for peer review by subject experts.
• We do not perform the re-analysis for authors.

Common Questions

Who are the reviewers? Statisticians and methodologists with graduate training and applied research experience, selected for each manuscript by field. Identities are disclosed to the editor on request.

Can the report be shared with authors? Yes. It is written so that the comments section can be forwarded as reviewer comments, while the recommendation section is for the editor.

Do you review qualitative methods? Yes, for study design, sampling, analytic approach and reporting standards. Ask when requesting a proposal.

Request a proposal, or begin with the Journal Health Check.