Is there some standard protocol to suggesting reviewers/referees for a paper? I'm submitting to a journal and they require me to suggest several reviewers.  Do they mean that I should select from among members of the editorial board, or do they mean that I should recommend from among all experts in the field?  It doesn't say anywhere.

I'm thinking they must mean to select among members of the editorial board, because I assume they're not going to bother some random member of the community who has no connection with the journal and ask him/her to work for them.   So, I'm guessing they must want me to select from among members of the editorial board.

On the other hand, selecting from among members of the editorial board is a miserable process.  Other stuff I've read on the web suggests I need to make sure the people I'm suggesting have some connection to the subject of my manuscript.  However, I find it hard to tell what each board member's interests and expertise is.  Often it's hard to find their web page (e.g., because I only have their last name and initial of their first name); many of them don't have web pages; and even if they don't have a web page, it might not be updated or might not be in English.  If they really mean I should select from among members of the editorial board, this sounds like a really bad system, which makes me doubt my guess.

So, which is it?  Who do they want me to select from?



Yes, I've seen this thread, but I don't really think it answers the question (at least the ones I have) well.
No, the editorial board serves a different purpose from the reviewers. Typically, your paper will be assigned to one member of the editorial board, who will be responsible for managing the review process, and making a decision based on the reviewers' recommendations. However, the reviewers may be anyone with sufficient knowledge to understand and assess your paper.

So, feel free to list reviewers from the wide world! Note that there is typically no obligation for the editor to use the names you suggest; often they will make their own selection, based on their knowledge of the field.