IEEE Data Descriptions accepts articles that are not traditional research-based manuscripts. As such, before the Editor begins the review process, they should read the Author Guide to better understand the types of articles submitted and the Reviewer Guide to understand the expectations of those assigned to review the submitted manuscript.

All Editors have the responsibility to follow this review process:

1. Account Setup and Management: Use your preferred email address to create your account on ScolarOne. You may also choose to use the Web of Science login process. Either way, this account will be used to oversee the paper review process.
2. Conflict of Interest Check: Upon receiving a paper assignment notification, promptly check for any conflicts of interest with the authors. If a conflict exists, inform the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) immediately so they can reassign the paper to another Editor.
3. Initial Assessment: Before assigning reviewers, evaluate whether the paper fits the journal's scope and meets the quality standards. If the paper is out of scope or poor quality, you may recommend rejection, providing detailed comments. Editors should read the Criteria/Quality Check section (below) for further insight.
4. Selection of Reviewers: Assign the manuscript to at least 2 independent reviewers, though three are preferred. Ensure that at least two reviewers accept the review assignment. Maintain the required number of reviewers as the system specifies and aims to secure qualified reviewers. If a reviewer from the initial round is unavailable for subsequent reviews, you may invite a new reviewer. Also, verify if the authors have adequately addressed reviewer comments in revised submissions before making your recommendation.
5. Editorial Recommendation: Once sufficient reviews are received, prepare a preliminary editorial recommendation for the EiC, including your justifications based on reviewer comments and your own assessment. Ensure all comments are thoroughly checked and request reviewers to revise their comments if necessary to provide constructive feedback and avoid potential conflicts.
6. Submission of Recommendations: After you submit your preliminary recommendations, the EiC will review them along with the reviewer reports to make the final decision.
7. Handling Rebuttals: If authors submit a rebuttal, you should provide constructive explanations to support the editorial process. It is recommended — for new Editors, it is required — that you discuss this with the EiC to determine the appropriate decision and response.

These steps are designed to ensure a fair, thorough, and efficient review process, contributing to the high standards of the journal.

IEEE Data Descriptions is committed to inclusivity and evaluates all submissions that align with the journal's scope for peer-review. Our Editor-in-Chief and IEEE ScolarOne admin team ensure each submission adheres to our data policies, guiding authors on necessary adjustments for review readiness. Once ready, the assigned Editor will oversee the peer-review process.

Reviewers assess the technical rigour of the data generation procedures against community standards and the thoroughness of the data descriptions. Typically, each article is reviewed by at least 2 reviewers, although an Editor may step in for the second review if needed due to reviewer withdrawal.

Acceptance at IEEE Data Descriptions is not contingent on the perceived impact or novelty of the dataset. Descriptor and Collection articles are not expected to include comprehensive analyses or ground-breaking scientific discoveries. Authors are expected to substantiate the technical soundness of their methods and may be required to demonstrate quality control measures. Additional experimental support may be requested by reviewers to bolster questions about data integrity.

IEEE Data Descriptions does not publish unsubstantiated or preliminary findings. Editors may direct authors to modify or remove unsupported claims to better align with the publication’s focus or to consider resubmission to a more suitable venue. The journal is open to reconsidering submissions previously rejected by other journals, particularly if they contribute valuable datasets, though revisions are often necessary to meet specific criteria and formatting standards of IEEE Data Descriptions.

Citation Manipulation (including Citation Stuffing) 

IEEE strictly prohibits citation manipulation, including citation stuffing, in all its publications, such as IEEE Data Descriptions. Citation stuffing involves the inclusion of irrelevant or excessive references with the intent to artificially inflate citation metrics. This unethical practice can manifest in various ways, such as authors citing their own unrelated work, reviewers requesting unnecessary citations, or editors mandating references to boost a journal’s metrics. IEEE considers such actions a serious breach of publishing ethics and relies on editors to identify and prevent citation manipulation during the peer review process. Any instances of citation manipulation should be reported to the Editor-in-Chief for appropriate action, which may include investigations or warnings to the involved parties.

IEEE Data Descriptions publishes annual issues. Submitting a Collections article can often replace the Special Issue of a traditional journal. If there is a collection of similar datasets of which the sure size/volume does not fit the ability to submit a Collections article, then prospective guest editors should contact the Editor-in-Chief to accommodate these special cases.

Descriptor and Collections articles are intended to supplement traditional research publications. They can be utilized to detail datasets analyzed in other studies or to describe datasets that stand alone. Occasionally, Descriptor and Collections articles might also detail datasets that have been previously published or released to the public, especially if the descriptor article publication would significantly facilitate the reuse and reanalysis of an essential dataset. When describing datasets that have been published before, Descriptor and Collections articles must include new content substantial enough to justify a new publication. This new content may include updates to critical datasets, a more comprehensive dataset release, or added details to enhance its reuse.

Meta articles expand upon the framework set by Descriptor articles, focusing on discussions surrounding data. They provide a platform for authors to share insights across various data-related topics. The Author Guide lists example topics. The Editor-in-Chief will decide beforehand whether a submitted article is within scope. If an editor or reviewer has questions about how to review such an article, they should contact the Editor-in-Chief.