The Art of Peer Reviewing: Toward an Effective Developmental Process

A core feature of academic research is the peer review process. The thinking behind this process is straightforward: in an effort to ensure the validity of research, opinions regarding the reliability, thoroughness, and appropriateness of reports on research findings are solicited from outside experts before they are cleared for publication. However, little guidance is provided in the literature or in the development and training of scholars regarding precisely what constitutes effective peer review. The aim of this article is to help to fill this gap. Drawing on our experience as scholars and editors of academic journals, we trace the peer review process from the selection of reviewers through to the crafting of a coherent set of recommendations for the author(s) of a manuscript under consideration. We conclude by urging peer reviewers to approach the process with the care, professionalism, and rigor demanded by this fundamental part of the scholarly endeavor.