MDPI is delighted to be working with Publons to recognise the hard work of our reviewers. Reviewing is often done behind closed doors and is an under-appreciated part of the editorial process. However, the comments of the many volunteer reviewers we work with is vital for ensuring the quality of research published in MDPI journals. We believe that Publons offers the right balance between recognition and confidentiality, and we hope that this step will go a small way towards giving something back to our hard-working reviewers.

How do you credit reviewers?

If you review for one of a selected group of 50 MDPI journals, you will receive a link from which you can claim your review at Publons. Your credit will appear on Publons as soon as you claim your review, although information about the article is only ever made available once the article has been published. By default, your profile will show a list of which MDPI journals you have reviewed for and how many times.

Publons provides a number of benefits to reviewers, including generating a certificate to prove your reviewing history and allowing you to manage your data and link to services like Orcid. You can add reviews that you do for other journals by simply forwarding the acknowledgment email to Publons.

What about the confidentiality of reviewers?

We haven’t changed our policy on confidentiality and take it very seriously. Your name will not be linked to a specific published paper. The content of the review report will also not be passed on to Publons. This is an opt in service, so nothing will be made public until you agree to it. We hope you will, and if you change your mind at any time you can opt out.

Can I review for an MDPI journal?

Do you want to become a reviewer for an MDPI journal? Please read the information for reviewers and fill in your details on our submission system. If you already have an account, you can manage your reviewing preferences on your profile page. Reviewers should hold a PhD and have a number of publications in the field for which they want to review.