Sometimes I receive a request from Journals to review papers that are out of my research interest. I refused for the first time because i was busy, but they send another one shortly after.
Actually, one of the important reasons, beside being busy, for declining reviewing the paper is that the sent paper is far from my research interest. Therefore, I felt that I will not be able to provide a fair review.
If the paper is out of my immediate area of research, I decline. However, if I have used the methodology and can evaluate some aspects of the manuscript; I notify the editor and seek their advice if they would still like me to review the paper.
I review for around 40 journals - and this is a tricky one. I don't usually decline but then, like Ahtisham, I am mixed methods - and so I can usually at least comment on methodology and read up around the topic area if not a familiar one. That said, my main fields are health promotion and public health - and that covers a very large field of study. Where I decline now is if a 'new' journal approaches me - and the topic is not specifically in my area. Once you say 'yes' with newer journals one then runs the risk of getting several in quick succession.
So long as the journal is reputable, I'll always review no matter what. It's possible to read up on the subject and a lay-person's opinion is sometimes more valuable than a professional's!
Normal
The truth is that the decision maker is not a researcher. But the owner of the magazine or the publisher.
If you refuse, then thousands wait
Search Becoming a market
There are no real quality standards. Objective criteria that can be subjective at any time
Therefore, I felt that I will not be able to provide a fair review that decision is not a researcher. But the owner of the magazine or the publisher. the publisher trusts your way of judgment on that work.
I've been asked to review some articles that had nothing related to my expertise like medicine inventions and so on. So I declined. However, as a chemist, sometimes I got some manuscripts to review which relied on chemistry broadband and I knew a few about it. So it was challenging for me to read more so I accepted to review
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