Publish or perish: navigating the peer review process

Suppose a respected journal you’ve submitted a paper to lets you know that it meets the author guidelines and is sufficiently original and interesting to merit further consideration. But instead of excitement and optimism, your feelings are tempered by misgiving and disquiet.  

Is that a familiar scenario?  If so, you’ve probably had a negative peer review experience in the past.

It is  crucial for new ideas and knowledge to be subjected to critical scrutiny. Although peer review can sometimes be discouraging – even anxiety-inducing – the process is meant to stimulate debate and clarify thinking. Credible journals have a rigorous process of peer review that is healthy and constructive.

Writing an article involves a cycle of multiple revisions by the authors, and the paper you finally submit will likely be quite different from the first draft you prepared. It is all part of a robust process, and all academics – even established ones – engage in this exercise. 

Before you submit your paper to a journal, why don’t you send it to your colleagues for their feedback? It is unlikely to be perfect at that point and third-party feedback should improve and enhance your ideas.  

What happens after your article comes back from peer review? 

If your article is being considered for publication, go through the feedback carefully. Adopt a balanced tone and be sure to thank the editor and reviewers for their constructive feedback. Make sure to be clear in your response and provide a detailed list of all the points that you’ve  addressed. Similarly, explain what you don’t want to change with careful motivation – after all, you are also a subject matter expert and your reasoned opinion should be considered.

Reviewers are also under immense pressure and are fallible. Have the confidence to argue constructively against comments that you consider unjustified . Try to remove the emotion and make dispassionate arguments. If the changes that you are asked to make are too substantial, you have the right not to proceed and you may even consider submitting to another journal.

If there are aspects of the review that you are unsure about, ask for guidance from the editor on how to incorporate feedback. The editor will consider your response. But remember, they will have the final say. 

Whatever your decision, keep the lines of communication with editors open and transparent and stick  to turnaround times. 

Good luck! 

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