Thanks to our reviewers

Journal of Vision is an outstanding journal, in large measure because of the contributions of the reviewers who give so freely of their time and expertise to critically evaluating manuscripts for the journal. We always attempt to ascertain that reviewers not only provide the necessary expertise but also are fair in their judgment, reflecting the significant responsibilities of reviewers to the editors, authors, and readers of the journal (see below, based on Council of Science Editors White Paper on Promoting Integrity in Scientific Journal Publications: http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/resource-library/editorial-policies/white-paper-on-publication-ethics/). 

While the editorial board members ultimately make the decisions, they rely on our expert reviewers to 

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  provide a thoughtful, fair, constructive, and informed critique of the submitted work;
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  determine the scientific merit, originality, and scope of the work and indicate ways to improve it; and
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  note any ethical concerns and alert the editor of any potential conflict of interest.

Likewise, authors rely on our expert reviewers to 

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  provide unbiased feedback on the scholarly merits and scientific value of the work in a timely fashion;
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  indicate whether the writing is clear, concise, and relevant and rate the scientific accuracy, originality, and likely interest to the readers;
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  avoid personal comments or criticism; and
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  maintain the confidentiality of the review process.

Our readers rely on the reviewers to 

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  ensure that the high standards of Journal of Vision are maintained,
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  protect readers from incorrect or flawed research, and
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  ensure that the article cites relevant work.

In short, reviewers are the backbone of the journal, providing critical input to the editors, authors, and readers. This year, 728 reviewers generously contributed their time and expertise to reviewing manuscripts for Journal of Vision (many providing multiple reviews). We thank each of our colleagues who reviewed manuscripts for Journal of Vision in the past year. Journal of Vision would not be the outstanding journal that it is without your generous and expert contributions.