Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about MySchool Research Peer Review Network
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What is the MySchool Peer Review Network?
The MySchool Peer Review Network is a paid, tranparent and decentralized platform that connects researchers, scholars, and journals for transparent, tamper-proof academic peer review.
Who can join the MySchool Research Peer Review Network?
Academics, researchers, lecturers and professionals with expertise in any academic field can apply to join the network.
Is peer review on MySchool Research open or blind?
MySchool supports both open and double-blinded peer reviews, depending on the journal or author's preference.
What fields or disciplines are supported?
We support all major disciplines including sciences, humanities, medicine, engineering, business, and more.
Is MySchool Peer Review recognized by institutions or journals?
Yes. We provide verifiable peer review certificates and profiles that can be submitted to journals or included in academic CVs. Journals use the MySchool Research Peer Review Network to facilitate the peer review process.
FOR REVIEWERS
How do I become a peer reviewer?
Apply via your MySchool Research profile by providing your credentials, areas of expertise, and publication history. Once your application is approved, you will receive an email to schedule a 10 minutes verification call by the MySchool Research Team
Is there a verification process for reviewers?
Yes. Reviewers undergo a manual and AI-based verification process before receiving a verified badge.
Do reviewers get paid?
Yes, Revieers set their prices when applying to become a peer review. You'll see compensation terms and service when applying to join the network.
How many reviews can I accept at once?
You may set your availability, and the platform limits simultaneous assignments to ensure quality.
Can I decline a review request?
Yes, you are free to accept or decline review requests without penalty.
Can I collaborate or consult others while reviewing?
Reviews must be conducted independently and confidentially unless otherwise permitted by the journal.
How long do I have to complete a review?
You must complete the review within the time limit you set when you added the package.
Can I add peer reviewing to my academic CV?
Yes. Each completed review comes with a digital certificate and profile entry that can be publicly listed.
FOR AUTHORS
How do I get my work peer-reviewed on MySchool Research?
You can submit your paper and either choose a reviewer from the network or allow the journal to assign one. It's important to follow your Journal instructions before booking the services of a peer reviewer.
Can I submit to multiple reviewers at once?
Yes and No. Each submission goes to one reviewer at a time unless the journal requires multiple simultaneous reviews.
What happens after the review?
You receive a detailed review report and temperd proof certificate which you can submit to a journal. Certificate is verifiable on the MySchool Research by anyone with the certificate number.
Do I need to pay for peer review?
Yes. MySchool Peer review system is a paid peer review system.
Can I respond to a reviewer's comments?
Yes. Authors can reply to feedback, clarify points, or contest specific evaluations respectfully.
Can I rate or review my reviewer?
Yes. After the review, you can rate the reviewer for transparency and improvement purposes, but the rating will not be publicly displayed. This is to ensure that reviewers remain independent and do not compromise honest feedback in search of better public ratings.
Is my unpublished work safe during peer review?
Yes. All submissions are encrypted, and reviewers agree to confidentiality terms.
FOR JOURNALS AND EDITORS
Can journals use MySchool for peer review management?
Yes. Journals can manage peer review entirely within the platform or accept verified reviews from authors.
Can we invite our existing reviewers to join the network?
Yes. Journals may onboard their reviewers and have them verified on MySchool.
Can editors monitor the review process?
Yes. Journals have dashboards to monitor review progress, deadlines, and feedback.
Can we customize the review form or criteria?
Yes. Journals can set custom review questions, grading rubrics, and confidentiality agreements.
Can we integrate MySchool reviews with our journal site?
Yes. API integrations and embeddable verification links are available.
SECURITY, ETHICS, & LICENSING
Is the review process anonymous?
Yes. MySchool allows for double-blind, or open review modes.
What license governs the peer review reports?
Reports are licensed under CC BY-NC unless otherwise specified by the author or journal.
How is review tampering prevented?
All reviews are timestamped and stored on a tamper-proof digital ledger.
What happens if a reviewer plagiarizes or breaches ethics?
They are banned from the platform, and the case is logged and made transparent to journals and authors.
Can I withdraw a submitted paper from review?
Yes, as long as the reviewer has not yet started the review or agreed to the assignment.
DCI (DIGITAL CONTENT IDENTIFIER)
What is DCI?
DCI stands for Digital Content Identifier. It is a unique, trackable code assigned to academic content, similar to a DOI, but with enhanced functionality for the digital research environment.
How is DCI different from DOI?
While DOI primarily provides a persistent link to digital content, DCI goes further by enabling real-time tracking of citations, reader engagement, AI usage alerts, and plagiarism detection.
Why should our journal adopt DCI?
DCI allows your journal to track how articles are used, cited, or repurposed across platforms, helping you understand your journal's impact and ensuring content is protected from misuse.
Can DCI help with detecting plagiarism or unauthorized reuse?
Yes. DCI includes mechanisms for monitoring and flagging copied or reused content, including when your article is used to train an AI model or appears in datasets without attribution.
How do we assign a DCI to an article?
On the MySchool Research platform, DCI is automatically generated and assigned when you publish or upload an article. It's a simple step in the publishing workflow.
Can DCI be used alongside DOI?
Yes. DCI can complement an existing DOI, offering additional analytics and protection without replacing DOI unless desired by the journal.
What kind of analytics come with DCI?
DCI provides detailed usage data, including geographic reach, citation tracking, download patterns, and mentions in AI training datasets or other platforms.
Is DCI recognized globally like DOI?
While DOI is an established international standard, DCI is an emerging solution built to address modern publishing needs. Over time, it is gaining wider recognition through platforms like MySchool Research.
How does DCI support academic integrity?
DCI supports integrity by ensuring transparent citation tracking, verifiable authorship, and peer review history, helping to uphold high scholarly standards.
MYSCHOOL IMPACT FACTOR (MIF)
What is the MySchool Impact Factor (MIF)?
The MySchool Impact Factor is a journal performance metric that measures how often articles published in a journal are cited over a defined period, using real-time citation and usage data from the MySchool Research platform.
How is MIF different from traditional impact factors?
Traditional impact factors are calculated annually and often limited to indexed journals. MIF offers real-time updates, broader data sources, and is accessible even to emerging and independent journals.
How is the MIF calculated?
MIF uses a formula based on citations per published article over a set time frame, while also factoring in data such as downloads, shares, and reader engagement to provide a richer view of impact.
Can any journal get an MIF?
Yes. Any journal hosted on or connected to the MySchool Research platform can receive a MySchool Impact Factor, regardless of whether it is indexed by traditional citation databases.
How frequently is the MIF updated?
Unlike static yearly calculations, the MIF is updated continuously as new citation and usage data are collected.
Is MIF recognized by academic institutions?
MIF is gaining traction, especially among universities and research institutions that seek more inclusive and transparent impact metrics tailored to regional needs.
Can we compare our MIF with other journals?
Yes. Journals can use the analytics dashboard to compare their MIF with similar or competing journals within their discipline or region.
Does MIF include self-citations?
MIF includes all citations but clearly separates self-citations, allowing editors to monitor and manage citation integrity.
How does MIF help improve journal quality?
By tracking performance in real-time, MIF helps editorial boards identify high-impact articles, measure reach, and make informed decisions about content and strategy.
Is MIF free to access?
Journals using the MySchool Research platform receive access to their MIF and other metrics as part of their institutional partnership.