Resource of the Week #135: “Peer Review: The Nuts and Bolts”

Hello again. This week’s resource was recommended by Julie Walker, who is in charge of AuthorAID as a whole.

The resource is titled “Peer Review: The Nuts and Bolts”. (As some of you know, “nuts and bolts” means the practical details of how something works.) The subtitle of the resource is “A Guide for Early Career Researchers”.

In keeping with its title, this 28-page guide begins by describing how peer review works. It also notes some limitations of peer review. In addition, it discusses the role of peer review in society. It ends by listing sources of further information.

Throughout the guide, there are many quotes from editors, peer reviewers, and others who are knowledgeable about peer review. Photos of the quoted people accompany the quotes. The quotes and photos help make the guide lively and attractive.

In the guide, one especially helpful item is the list, on page 9, of questions that reviewers ask. Researchers can use these questions to help evaluate their own work.

“Peer Review: The Nuts and Bolts” is from a group called Sense about Science. It was published last year. Thank you, Julie, for mentioning it.

Until the next post—

Barbara