Questions Answered: ‘How to get more involved with a journal and develop your career’ webinar

On July 10th we hosted a webinar in our How to Do Research and Get Published series. Hosted by Sage’s Isaac Hirsch, Simrun Kaur Rathore, and Sean Scarisbrick and featuring guest panelists Dr. Babalola Faseru and Dr. Gilbert Gee, author of You Can Publish Your Journal Article: Advice from Editors to Help You Succeed. The panel discussed the topic ‘How to get more involved with a journal and develop your career’, providing valuable insights to researchers who are ready to advance beyond just submitting their research to journals.

From becoming a peer reviewer, editorial board member, guest editor, to editor-in-chief; our experts talked about how these journal-related roles can be leveraged to advance your career. If you submitted a question during the webinar that was left unanswered, this blog post is here to fill in the gaps for you.


If you’re interested in watching the recording of this webinar or exploring one of our previous webinars, complete the form at this link and receive immediate access to our full library of webinar recordings.


Peer Review

How do I sign up as a reviewer?

You can usually sign up on a journal landing page (survey links) or email the editor your CV/resume. Check out Sage’s Resources for Reviewers for further information. Also, consider volunteering via Web of Science Reviewer Recognition.

We also recommend that you review Sage’s guide on how to review articles.

What are the potential benefits of being a reviewer?

Career progression, expanding your own expertise, APC discounts/waivers, access to extra content from the publisher, being a brand ambassador for a journal, opportunities with other related journals, expanding opportunities for your peers by referring them to the board or being able to recommend a reliable journal that they can submit to. Check out Sage’s Reviewer Rewards page for more information.

I would like to receive credit for the reviews I submit. Can I post copies of my reviews online, or is there something else I should do?

It's recommended to use ORCiD for this, or Web of Science Reviewer Recognition.

Is there a conflict of interest if you review for a journal you’ve already published an article in?

There shouldn't be - as a reviewer you should be looking at the articles from an unbiased point of view, making your recommendation based on the quality of the work (rather than pushing to accept). We recommend reviewing Sage’s Peer Review Ethics page for more information.

Does the publisher conduct review of the reviewers? Or is it the job of the chairman of the review board?

It's often the editors or associate/section editors who assess this - and it's usually the time taken to review and quality of the reviews that is assessed.

Are there different standards for peer reviewers based on which Quadrant the Journal (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4) belongs to?

Ideally, all journals should aspire for high quality peer review (as this makes the paper better and helps you climb into higher quadrants). However, this really might depend on the journal/publisher and sometimes just the individual reviewer themselves - this can all vary.


 Editorial Boards

Any advice on the nature of journals that you might accept an editorial board position, or that you might approach yourself in the first place?

For reputability, we recommend looking at those on the board (and whether they can be verified/have research expertise relevant to the scope of the journal), look at whether the journal is indexed (but if it isn't, this might not necessarily be bad - it may be a new journal). Also look at whether this is a journal that your peers/professors would be reading/citing from.

For final decision of the selection of manuscript for publication, who makes the decision? Does this fall to the editorial board or someone else?

Decision making and approvals may vary from journal to journal, but often the team comes together to agree on a decision, albeit contributing to it in different ways. It rarely falls to regular Editorial Board members to make these decisions. It is usually reserved for the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Managing Editors, or their equivalents. For example, for one of Simrun’s journals, which is internally run by those at Sage, our Managing Editors make decisions and those acting as Editors in Chief will approve those decisions.

Are there any costs involved in becoming a member of the editorial board from any side? Is it a permanent position?

There should be no costs involved (and if anyone says that you must pay to be on an editorial board, I'd be concerned!). Some editors/editor in chiefs do receive stipends for their work, but most monetary benefits for board members come in the form of discounts and waivers. In addition, becoming an Editorial Board member does not guarantee a permanent position. Editors determine their board based on their own set criteria and expectations, and they may cycle through new members if those expectations are not being met. In addition, when a new Editor comes on board, they may enact changes to the editorial board at their own discretion.


 Becoming a Guest Editor

How should I approach a journal that I’m interested in becoming a Guest Editor in?

Have a look at the Special collections first and identify a topic that you would like to guest edit - ideally not a topic too similar to what has already been done and is in the scope of your expertise, as you may be expected/asked to commission for this. It would then be worth getting in touch with the journal editor with a light proposal or idea for the collection you have in mind.


Training

How do I find a mentorship scheme or training program?

Look at the Early Career Researcher network or look at journals that are doing an Early Career Researcher program. We also recommend seeking opportunities at workshops or conferences - places where you can meet and collaborate with other professionals in your field. Building your network can help you identify opportunities for mentorship or further training.

What is the JANE index?

The Journal/Author Name Estimator (JANE) is a search tool for identifying journals and authors. It is useful for authors looking for journals they can submit their manuscript to or finding papers to cite in their own research. It's also useful for Editors to find potential reviewers.

Any advice for creating an editorial board for a student-run journal co-founded by a PhD student or early career researcher?

Before you create it, do try to join an editorial board and look at their processes (eg. what roles/responsibilities do they give you; what do you get out of it; what do you not enjoy). You should consider who you will be recruiting to be peer reviewers, the suitability of their expertise, and any benefits you might offer them. When it comes to the decision-makers in your journal, consider their eligibility, who you trust to be handling manuscripts, and how they will ensure/encourage quality reviews.


To watch the recording of this webinar or explore one of our previous webinars, complete the form at this link and receive immediate access to our full library of webinar recordings.