Step 1: The reviewer has first to indicate to the associate editor whether he (or she) will undertake the review. The decision should be made after reviewing the submission's abstract and perhaps looking at the submission, by clicking on the file name (depending on the journal's policies, the file may not be available prior to the reviewer agreeing to review it). If unable to do the review, the reviewer clicks on "I am unable to do the review" which leads to a standard email to the associate editor. Otherwise, if able to do the review, the reviewer clicks on "I can do the review" which leads to a standard email to the associate editor.

Step 2: The author has uploaded the submission as a file, which the reviewer can download from the journal's web site to the reviewer's computer by clicking on the file name. The file can be opened or saved to the computer and opened, using typically available programs such as Word or Acrobat. It can be printed out or read on the screen. The supplementary files refer to materials the author may have uploaded in addition to the submission, such as data sets, research instruments, or source texts.

Step 3: The reviewer prepares a review of the submission, whether on a word processor and then pasting it into the review text-box, or by entering it directly into the review text-box, which is reached by clicking on the "Review" icon. The reviewer can enter the text all at once, or enter it in parts, saving it each time. In this way, the reviewer can indicate on the review text-box whether all of part of the review should not be shared with the author. Following the reviewer's restrictions, if any, the associate editor has the option of sharing all or part of the review to the author.

Step 4: The reviewer also has the option of, in addition to entering a review, of uploading files for the associate editor and/or the author to see. These files may be a reviewer-annotated version of the submission or some relevant data or other materials that will assist editor and/or author. It will be at the editor's discretion whether these files are shown to the author.

Step 5: The reviewer must select a recommendation for the submission from among the following options: Accept, Accept with Revisions, Resubmit for Review, Resubmit Elsewhere, Decline, See Comments. When the reviewer clicks "Submit Review to the Editor" it leads to a prepared email to the associate editor, as well as making visible to the editor the recommendation, review and any uploaded files. The email can be edited by the reviewer before sending.