In order to guide a more objective, constructive and systematic review process, we offer here a "Refereeing Template". This template serves to emphasize "claims", arguments backed by supporting evidence, as the basis for evaluating quality and translating that evaluation into an assessment of impact and significance. The template provides the following algorithm for constructing a peer review: (i) articulate the key claims of the manuscript; (ii) determine if the data (and interpretations of the data) support said claims; and, only as a last step, (iii) offer an opinion as to whether the supported claims deserve publication in the targeted journal.