Getting your paper published in an academic journal or publication is often challenging and tedious. Peer reviews are an important part of this process. They involve a critical evaluation that subjects an author’s research to scrutiny by experts in the field, helping to uphold the integrity of academic literature.
Peer reviewers are typically drawn from a panel of independent experts. They thoroughly evaluate papers for quality and relevance. Articles and papers are assessed on various parameters, such as methodology, transparency, and originality of the author’s work. The process contributes to ensuring that the work is of high quality and contributes to knowledge creation in the specific field of study.
How is a peer review process done?
The process of peer review begins with an author submitting an article to a journal. Thereafter, it goes through a number of steps before it is accepted and sent forward for publishing.
1. Initial review by the journal editors: Every manuscript submitted to a journal undergoes an initial desk review by the journal’s editors to broadly assess the suitability and relevance of the work with the aims of the journal. For example, the editor or the editorial office checks:
- On the scope, merits and relevance of the study
- Originality of the work and its contribution to the body of knowledge
- Whether the author has adhered to journal guidelines and ensured the basic requirements in terms of formatting, language clarity and word count.
- Whether all information required as per journal guidelines is provided, such as the abstract, author affiliation, and other details.
If the article does not fulfil the required criteria, the editors can reject the paper at this stage itself. In case of a ‘desk reject’, the author has the option to send the manuscript to another journal for publication.
For example, a researcher who has submitted a research article that examines the effects of climate change on specific crop yields in South-East Asia. As a first step, the editors will conduct an initial desk review to check whether the submission aligns with the journal’s scope and guidelines. They will also assess the originality of the work.
2. Assignment of the manuscript to peer reviewers: If the manuscript passes the initial review, it moves on to the next stage. During this time, the editorial office will communicate with appropriate subject experts or “peers” to review the manuscript. Usually, a minimum of two reviewers must consent to review the article – in some journals, it may be more. The choice of peer reviewers is at the discretion of the editor(s).
Following the example given above, the publication will contact climate scientists and agricultural experts who have conducted research in this field.
3. Peer review process: The peer reviewers assess the manuscript for its quality by checking on key parameters:
- Is the study interesting and original?
- Is it significant?
- Has the author dealt with relevant and current literature?
- Are the design and methodology sound, appropriate, and clearly described for other researchers to replicate?
- Are the study findings original and backed by research?
- Are the conclusions appropriate?
In accordance with their assessment, the peer reviewers communicate to the editor whether the paper is of high quality and recommend their decision to the editor. This can fall into either one of the following categories:
- Accept: The article is accepted without any revisions. However, note that this happens very rarely.
- Minor revisions: Peer reviewers recommend minor revisions before accepting the article for publication.
- Major revisions: Substantial changes are suggested, and the revised article will need to undergo further review before being sent forward for publication.
- Reject: The article is not considered apt for the journal.
However, the final decision on whether to reject a paper or not rests with the journal’s editor. If two peer reviewers provide conflicting suggestions, the paper will be sent to a third reviewer for review, only after which the editor will make a decision.
In our example, in this process, climate scientists and agricultural experts will assess the methodology, originality, and importance of the study. They may also evaluate how the study has built on some of the latest scientific discourses and innovations.
4. Revise and re-submit: Once the review process is over, the editor and peer reviewers communicate their recommendations to the author. The author is provided time to review the suggestions and make appropriate revisions before re-submitting to the journal. It is crucial for the authors to address each of the reviewers’ comments.
Revised manuscripts must be sent back to the editor along with a cover letter detailing the changes made in response to peer reviewer comments. It will then again be sent to peer reviewers for evaluation. Further revisions may also be recommended at this point.
If the editor thinks that the suggestions have not been adequately covered by the author(s), the paper may be rejected by the journal at this stage. If the author(s) do not wish to continue with the revisions, they may formally inform the journal editors and withdraw their manuscript before submitting it to another journal.
Accepted: Once the paper meets the standards set by the journal, it is accepted and moves ahead to the publication stage. The peer review process is usually quite tedious and highly time-consuming. Presently, many journals publish the submission, acceptance, and publication timelines of each paper that is published online. This is helpful for authors to get an idea of the time it generally takes for articles to be published in the journal.
Understanding the step-by-step process of peer review and the different models of feedback can help researchers plan their research and writing schedules and navigate this essential aspect of academic publishing more effectively.
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