On peer reviewing: how to nourish an author’s mind and win a JLDHE editor’s heart

Eleanor Loughlin,Gita Sedghi,Christina Howell-Richardson,Alicja Syska

doi:10.47408/jldhe.vi19.626

Abstract

Editors and publishers of scholarly journals rarely agree on what makes for a good publication; they do, however, agree on the need for a robust peer review process as a crucial means to judge the merits of potential publications. While fraught with issues and inefficiencies, a critical and supportive peer review is not only what editors rely on when assessing scholarship presented for publication but also what authors hope for in order to improve their work. Understanding how peer review may best serve all parties involved: authors, editors, and reviewers, is thus at the heart of this article. The analysis offered here is based on a session the Journal for Learning Development in Higher Education editors gave at the 2020 LD@3 seminar series, entitled ‘The Art of Reviewing’. It explores the different aspects of the peer review process while formulating recommendations regarding best practices and outlining JLDHE initiatives for supporting reviewers’ vital work.

Highlights

On peer-reviewing: how to nourish an author’s mind and win a JLDHE editor’s heartAs editors at the Journal for Learning Development in Higher Education (JLDHE), we annually process scores of submissions, and when it comes to providing a streamlined publishing experience for all the parties involved, we recognise that we achieve varied levels of success
Reviewers are an intrinsic element of the publishing process and identifying means by which they can be best supported to play their role effectively has been at the forefront of our mission at the JLDHE
In the case of the JLDHE, it should be noted that as learning developers or those working in associated fields, a high proportion of the journal’s reviewers have the advantage of being aware of what constitutes good feedback in terms of both content and tone, and are able to apply this in their approach to reviewing – a factor very much evident from the quality and depth of the discussion in the LD@3 workshop

Summary

Introduction

As editors at the Journal for Learning Development in Higher Education (JLDHE), we annually process scores of submissions, and when it comes to providing a streamlined publishing experience for all the parties involved, we recognise that we achieve varied levels of success. It will probe what constitutes good reviewing practice in the field of learning development and how reviewers, authors, and editors can work together in the most productive and rewarding way.

Results

Conclusion