Reviewer Portal Guide

The Reviewer Portal is a dedicated interface for reviewers to evaluate assigned submissions. It’s separate from the organizer’s CMS — reviewers only see what they need.

Accessing the Portal

Reviewers access the portal through the link provided in their assignment email:

1. Reviewer receives an email: “You’ve been assigned to review [Abstract Title]”.
2. They click the Review Now link in the email.
3. They log in with their credentials.
4. They see their list of assigned submissions.

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What Reviewers See

Submission List

The reviewer’s dashboard shows:

• All assigned submissions with titles and status
• Review deadline
• How many reviews they’ve completed vs. pending

Submission Detail

When a reviewer opens a submission:

• Abstract title and content — the full submitted abstract
• Attached files — any supplementary documents the submitter uploaded
• Submitter identity — visible unless Blind Review is enabled (in which case, the submitter is anonymous)

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Completing a Review

1. Open an assigned submission.
2. Work through each rubric criteria:
   • Scale questions — select a rating (e.g., 1–10)
   • Multiple choice — select the appropriate option
   • Yes/No — click Yes or No
   • Text feedback — type written comments
3. Add overall comments (optional but recommended).
4. Click Submit Review.

Once submitted, the review is final. The organizer sees the score in the Submissions page.

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Blind Review Mode

When Blind Review is enabled by the organizer:

• Reviewer cannot see the submitter’s name, affiliation, or any identifying information
• The abstract content is visible, but author details are hidden
• This prevents bias based on the submitter’s reputation or institution

Note

Reviewers should avoid looking up abstracts online if blind review is important. The organizer sets this policy — the system enforces it within the portal.

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Viewing Other Reviews

If the organizer enables Show Other Reviews:

• After submitting their own review, the reviewer can see how other reviewers scored the same submission
• This is useful for panel discussions where reviewers need to align on borderline cases

If disabled, each reviewer only sees their own evaluation.

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Review Timeline

Phase	Reviewer Action
Assignment	Receives email notification with submission details
Review Period	Opens submissions, evaluates using rubric
Reminder	Gets reminder email if review is pending (if enabled, typically 3 days before deadline)
Submission	Submits final scores and comments
Complete	Organizer sees all reviews and makes the final decision

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Tips for Reviewers

• Read the full abstract — don’t skim. The rubric expects evaluation of methodology, originality, and impact — these require careful reading.
• Use the full scale — avoid giving everything a 7/10. Use the full range from 1–10 to differentiate between submissions.
• Write comments — even brief comments help organizers understand your reasoning, especially for borderline scores.
• Review promptly — don’t wait until the deadline. The organizer needs all reviews completed to make decisions on time.
• Flag concerns — if you notice plagiarism, ethical issues, or conflicts of interest, contact the organizer directly.

Tip

For organizers: brief your reviewers on the rubric before they start. A 5-minute explanation of what each criterion means ensures consistent scoring across all reviewers.