SMART (Scientific Manuscript Assessment and Review Tool)

Abstract

Description The SMART™ Decision Engine (Scientific Manuscript Assessment and Review Tool) is a structured, multi-domain framework developed to support standardized evaluation of scientific manuscripts through a unified scoring and decision architecture. The system integrates five core domains—Study, Methodology, Analysis, Results, and Transparency—each assessed through predefined item-level criteria. In total, the framework comprises 50 evaluation items, with each domain contributing equally to a composite score out of 100. Items are assessed using a deterministic scoring logic, generating domain-level scores that are aggregated into a final quantitative evaluation. The framework incorporates predefined decision thresholds to guide editorial recommendations, alongside structural override rules designed to detect critical methodological or reporting deficiencies that may invalidate otherwise acceptable numerical scores. This dual-layer design ensures that both quantitative performance and qualitative scientific integrity are preserved within the final decision pathway. The SMART system is implemented as a multi-component architecture comprising four interoperable elements: a reviewer-facing scoring framework, an author self-assessment checklist, a structured Excel-based calculator, and an interactive web-based application. All implementations are functionally aligned and reproduce identical outputs under identical input conditions, ensuring consistency and reproducibility across platforms. The framework is intended for use in peer review, editorial decision-making, and methodological quality assessment in clinical and scientific research. It is designed to enhance transparency, reduce subjective variability, and standardize manuscript evaluation processes. This record represents the official disclosure and version-controlled release of the SMART Decision Engine (Version 1.0). The system, including its domain structure, item definitions, scoring logic, aggregation rules, decision thresholds, and implementation formats, constitutes proprietary intellectual property of the author and is made available for evaluation and research purposes only. An interactive web-based implementation is available at:https://ahmad-shaddad.shinyapps.io/smart_app/ © 2026 Ahmad M. A. Khedr Shaddad (Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt). All rights reserved.