Building Your Peer Reviewer Target List

T
The Source
By: Penny Freedman, Mon May 21 2018
Penny Freedman

Author: Penny Freedman

There are many jobs to juggle as an editor running a successful journal – everything from soliciting articles, building a strong board, and navigating publishing ethics. This month we’re highlighting the various components of running a journal, with an eye on providing tips and advice. 

Finding quality peer reviewers is an essential task of managing a successful journal. Ideally, over time, you will create a pool of reviewers that you can rely on time and time again for thorough and accurate reviews. Building that resource can seem like a daunting task to undertake. Read on below for tips on where to focus your efforts.

  • Begin your search for qualified reviewers by checking the reference list of the manuscript you are seeking reviewers for.
  • Search SpringerLink, Nature, BMC.comPubMed, or similar platforms for researchers that are publishing in the same field. Always ensure that there aren’t any conflicts of interest before considering them as a reviewer.
  • Take a global perspective when narrowing down your list of reviewers. An ideal review will include reviewers from more than one country.
  • Check with your editorial board members for individuals in their network that might be suitable for reviewing.
  • Begin the conversation with potential reviewers with a simple query, not the full manuscript.
  • Don’t overwork your reviewers. Try to limit to one request per month, and only after they have finished any outstanding reviews for your journal.
  • Remember to thank reviewers for their contribution. For many of our journals we offer the option to provide verification certificates of thanks through our peer-review tracking systems Editorial Manager and eJP.

Learn more about peer review.

Penny Freedman

Author: Penny Freedman

Penny Freedman is a Marketing Manager on the Author Experience & Services team based in the New York office. She works closely on sharing insight and guidance on the benefits and services available to our editors, reviewers, and authors.

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