Identity in Peer Review – Celebrating Peer Review Week 2021 at SAGE

By Katie Gibson

Peer Review Week 2021 kicks off today, and we at SAGE are once more looking forward to a week of discussing the latest developments and directions in peer review, after a defining year of disruption and change around the world. This year’s theme is Identity in Peer Review, and to celebrate this most timely topic, we’ll be sharing blog posts throughout the week, with a mixture of updates from SAGE and advice for authors and reviewers from our journal Editors.

How we identify ourselves is often a strong reflection of the culture in which we live and work. Would you describe yourself as a scientist, researcher, student, teacher, practising professional, or some combination of all of the above? What about as a reviewer? Peer review is at the heart of the academic system, yet for many, it is an overlooked and undervalued role. Tomorrow, Casey Hooke, Assistant Editor at the Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, shares her perspective on why you should consider clicking ‘agree’ next time an invitation to review comes into your inbox.

Next up, Kat Pickersgill will provide an update on the Transparent Peer Review program we launched earlier this year, allowing reviewer reports to be published alongside manuscripts across four SAGE journals. Initial data on how many reviewers also choose to publish their name alongside their comments makes for interesting reading, and indicates increasing support for transparent identities, at least in some fields.

For many authors publishing for the first time, the peer review process is somewhat of a mystery. On Thursday, Dan Nunan, Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Market Research, brings us a guide for authors on what they can do to minimise delays in peer review, as well as explaining the reasons why some delays may be unavoidable. Don’t forget to check out the accompanying resources we’ve developed to walk authors through the process!

Finally, on Friday we’ll be bringing you an update on the work the SAGE Journals Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion working groups have been doing to make sure our peer review process is fair, inclusive, and run by the communities it serves. From updating our language, to diversifying editorial boards and developing new resources and policies, we’re very excited to share our progress so far.

To follow along and join the discussions, don’t forget to use the hashtags #PeerReviewWeek21 and #IdentityInPeerReview

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