The ABCs of the peer-review process

Drawing on her academic career as a clinician and researcher in psychiatry and neuroscience, including MD and PhD training and habilitation based on neuroimaging and clinical research in affective disorders, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders and, more recently, Long COVID, Dr Bartova will provide a practical overview of the peer-review process from the perspective of an author, reviewer and editor. Her experience includes authorship and reviewing for national (Austria, Czech Republic) and international journals, editorship of several Special Collections in Frontiers in Psychiatry (Bridging the Gap: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Ketamine in Psychiatric Disorders, Volumes I–III) and the Journal of Clinical Medicine (Innovations in the Treatment for Depression and Anxiety, 1st and 2nd Edition), and her role as Associate Editor of the International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice.

The lecture will focus on early strategic decisions to improve the chances of a successful peer-review trajectory, including selection of the most appropriate journal according to scope, audience, methodology, article type, ranking and realistic fit; preparing a manuscript before submission with attention to structure, reporting standards, clarity, novelty, ethical aspects and formatting; avoiding common reasons for desk rejection.

Constructive responses to reviewers’ and editors’ comments will be discussed, including how to prepare a clear point-by-point response, distinguish essential from optional revisions, maintain a respectful tone, and strengthen the manuscript scientifically during revision and proof correction process after acceptance.

Dr Bartova will also address how to handle rejection constructively, including resubmission strategies, reframing the manuscript and using peer-review feedback as a developmental academic tool.