The evidence-based practice movement in special education has emphasized the use of the scientific process to assist with the identification of effective academic and behavioral strategies. An important but often overlooked aspect of this system is the peer review process in which manuscripts submitted for publication are reviewed by experts to ensure that the most significant and accurate information is being disseminated. The purpose of this systematic review was to describe the prevalence and content of guidelines developed to assist peer reviewers when conducting manuscript evaluations. Results demonstrated that peer review guidelines are commonly used in special education with many referring to similar aspects of submitted manuscripts. Despite these commonalities, however, there was considerable variability observed across guidelines regarding the specific criteria used to assess these common manuscript features. Findings are discussed within the context of the strengths and limitations of the peer review process with recommendations provided to foster a stronger community of researchers and practitioners. (Contains 1 table.)