Our 2022 webinar series continues with “Current Trends in Peer Review” happening Wednesday, March 16, at 11 am EDT. Registration for the event remains open with a discount available for SSP members.
Equity and transparency in the review process and compensation vs. non-compensation for reviewers are just some of the hot topics under debate in current discussions about peer review. This webinar will highlight and summarize the most significant trends and provide examples of transformative models that work. This session will be moderated by Dr. Clark Holdsworth, Senior Manager, Communications and Partnerships, Accdon LLC, who is joined by Tim Vines, Founder, and Director, DataSeer, and Scholarly Kitchen Chef; Paige Wooden, Senior Program Manager, Publication Statistics, American Geophysical Union (AGU); and Dana Compton, Managing Director and Publisher for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Dr. Holdsworth took a few minutes to answer a few questions about the upcoming webinar:
Who is the intended audience for this webinar and why should they attend?
The webinar will prove beneficial to publishing staff, both professional and academic (e.g., EICs and associate editors) as awareness of peer review issues and new developments is central to the journal publishing process. All staff involved in the peer review process can potentially influence review quality and reviewer demographics–two trending topics in this webinar. Staff specifically responsible for peer review and strategic awareness and planning will especially benefit from this session as they can bring potential new initiatives back to their colleagues and supervisors/leadership.
Why is this topic important and timely? Is there a particular aspect of this topic that is noteworthy?
The quality and process norms of peer review are undergoing significant re-evaluation. Two major issues have driven recent (re: last 2-3 years) attention to the peer review process: COVID-19 and emboldened social prioritization and support for organizational-level DEI efforts. COVID-19 placed special attention on the role of science as a public good and therefore generated a critical evaluation of its quality and quality control (or deficiencies). Further, COVID-19 stressed institutional resources and challenged working norms in a way that impacts the quality of peer review as a globalized process. As DEI in science has become a well-regarded organizational accountability, attention is naturally given to the equity and diversity and representation of the peer review talent pool.
Is there a particular topic you’re looking forward to seeing discussed?
Compensated peer review is an interesting idea, but I expect it to be the most equivocal of the presented topics. Indeed, attendees will likely see a presentation, rebuttal, and re-evaluation of the concept all in one session. It’s a bit of discussion that will be prime material for any attendee to bring to their next organizational discussion or strategy meeting.
What do the selected speakers bring to the discussion?
Tim Vines has participated in debate on the topic of compensated peer review and has an expert understanding of both sides of the issue. He can provide extensive consideration of alternative forms of reviewer compensation or motivation. Paige Wooden has the data and experience surrounding reviewer demographics and can convey the trends more quantitatively than most. Dana Compton has developed and executed on strategies focused on maintaining peer review quality–in particular in the face of unique challenges such as COVID-19.
What can attendees expect?
The session will include 10–15-minute presentations from 3 speakers. Presentations will summarize the trend and outline the salient points necessary for attendee awareness of the issue. Attendees should also feel confident and informed enough to pursue further details on this topic. A collective 10–15-minute Q&A will address any attendee questions on the topics and provide the opportunity to discuss other trends not explicitly covered in the presentation.
What do you hope attendees will take away from the event?
The webinar aims to leave attendees with awareness and working knowledge of the presented trends in peer review. Attendees should take this information back to their organizations for the long-term planning of adherence and adoption of these peer review trends and advances.
Thank you to our generous 2022 education sponsors, ARPHA, J&J Editorial, Open Athens, and Silverchair.
News contribution by SSP member, Heather Kotula. Heather is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Access Innovations, Inc.
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