Peer review and me: Which different kinds of peer review do journals use?

There are kinds of peer review journals use, each with its strengths and weaknesses. In this blog, we will explore some of the different kinds of peer review and discuss their benefits and drawbacks.

As we are all aware, peer review is the process of evaluating the quality of scholarly work by subjecting it to scrutiny from ‘experts’ in the same field. Peer review has become an essential component of the academic publishing process, helping to ensure the accuracy and reliability of published research. Peer review then, as a bi-product, also helps authors to improve the quality of their publications.

 

Single-Blind Peer Review

Single-blind peer review is the most common type of peer review. In this process, the reviewer remains anonymous while the author of the manuscript is known to the reviewer. Single-blind peer review is used in most academic journals, and is still considered to be the fairest and easiest by many journals and researchers, although this does depend on subject area and geographic region.

The benefits of single-blind peer review are that it allows reviewers to provide honest feedback without fear of reprisal and that it can help to reduce bias in the review process. However, it is not without its drawbacks. For example, it is possible that the reviewer’s anonymity may encourage them to be overly critical or dismissive of the manuscript. Additionally, there is a risk that the reviewer may be biased against the author based on personal factors, such as gender or institutional affiliation. We know that this takes place alongside bias due to author name recognition by peer reviewers.

 

Double-Blind Peer Review

Double-blind peer review is a process in which both the reviewer and the author of the manuscript are anonymous to each other. Double-blind peer review is intended to eliminate bias by preventing a reviewer from being influenced by an author’s identity, affiliation, or reputation.

The benefits of double-blind peer review are that it can reduce bias and increase the quality of the review process. It also ensures that the manuscript is evaluated solely on its merit, rather than the author’s reputation or other factors. However, it can be challenging to implement in practice since it requires a certain level of effort to ensure that the manuscript is anonymized correctly.

Open Peer Review

Open peer review is a process in which the reviewer’s identity is known to the author, and in some cases, the wider community. Open peer review can take several forms, including signed reviews, where the reviewer signs their name, and reviews are published alongside the manuscript, or post-publication review, where reviewers can comment on published work.

The benefits of open peer review are that it increases transparency in the review process and can help to prevent misconduct by reviewers. It also provides an opportunity for reviewers to receive recognition for their work. However, open peer review can also be challenging to implement, as reviewers may be hesitant to provide critical feedback if their name is attached to it. Additionally, open peer review can increase the likelihood of conflicts of interest, as reviewers may have personal or professional relationships with the author.

 

Collaborative Peer Review

Collaborative peer review is a process in which multiple reviewers work together to evaluate a manuscript. Collaborative peer review can take several forms, including round-robin review, where reviewers take turns reviewing the manuscript, or group review, where reviewers meet to discuss the manuscript.

The benefits of collaborative peer review are that it can reduce bias and increase the quality of the review process. It also allows for a broader range of expertise to be brought to the review process, as multiple reviewers can provide feedback from different perspectives. However, collaborative peer review can be time-consuming and may require additional coordination between reviewers.

 

Post-Publication Peer Review

Post-publication peer review is a process in which a manuscript is published first, and then reviewers provide feedback on the manuscript after it has been published. This approach is intended to increase the speed of the review process and to ensure that the manuscript is available to the wider community as soon as possible.

The benefits of post-publication peer review are that it can increase the speed of the review process and can provide a broader range of feedback, as it allows anyone to provide feedback on the manuscript, rather than just a select group of reviewers. Additionally, post-publication peer review can help to identify errors or omissions in the manuscript that may have been missed during the initial review process.

However, post-publication peer review has some drawbacks. For example, it may be less rigorous than pre-publication peer review since anyone can provide feedback, regardless of their expertise or qualifications. Additionally, post-publication peer review may not be sufficient for manuscripts that require a high level of scrutiny or that may have significant implications for the field.

 

Conclusion

Peer review is a critical component of the scientific publishing process, helping to ensure that published research is accurate, reliable, and of high quality. There are several different types of peer review that can be used, each with its strengths and weaknesses. The choice of which type of peer review to use depends on various factors, including the nature of the manuscript, the preferences of the authors and reviewers, and the goals of the publisher.

It is essential to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each type of peer review to select the appropriate review process for a given manuscript. While no review process is perfect, careful consideration of the different types of peer review can help to ensure that the review process is as effective and efficient as possible.

Join us at ReviewerCredits to learn more about peer review and be rewarded for the work you do on the papers of others. Thousands of researchers worldwide use ​ReviewerCredits to gain recognition for their academic profile and to reward their peer review efforts. ReviewerCredits allows you to redeem credits against publishing discounts, editorial and translation services, subscriptions, training courses, conference attendance, and more.

Get recognised internationally across the academic world using our multilevel cross-publisher metrics and reward system. Register your article, monograph, and conference paper reviews automatically and receive tangible ReviewerCredits for your efforts, easily redeemable in our Reward Center.

Keep track of your peer review and other academic activity with our suite of clear metrics on one dashboard. Track impact via your peer reviewed and published articles to demonstrate your progress and gain credibility for academic and expert career growth.

Be visible and accessible to thousands of high-ranked journals via a single ReviewerCredits profile. Use our visibility tools to promote your profile across the ReviewerCredits network as well as the global community of recognised peer reviewers.

How to become a good reviewer >>