The art of peer reviewing: Toward an effective developmental process

ABSTRACT

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Peer-Review
• publishing
• publication process
• scholarly communication

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

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Notes on contributors

Jeremy L. Hall

Jeremy L. Hall is professor and MPA Director at the University of Central Florida and the co-editor-in-chief of Public Administration Review. He served as program chair for the 2016 ASPA conference in Seattle, WA and is a past Chair of the American Society for Public Administration’s Center for Accountability and Performance; he also serves on the board of directors for the Southeastern Conference of Public Administration (SECoPA). His research concentrates on accountability systems generally and on evidence-based policy and performance management in particular. He earned an MPA and PhD from the University of Kentucky’s Martin School of Public Policy and Administration.

William Hatcher

William Hatcher is an associate professor of political science and MPA Director at Augusta University and currently serves as the co-editor-in-chief of Journal of Public Affairs Education. He is also active in the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, serving as co-chair of the organization’s small MPA programs section, and has served as a public planner and chaired the Board of Adjustment in Richmond, Kentucky. He received a BS in political science and an MPA from Georgia College and State University and a PhD in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University.

Bruce D. McDonald

Bruce D. McDonald III, is an associate professor and MPA Program Director at North Carolina State University and currently serves as the co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Public Affairs Education and the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. From 2003 to 2005, he served as a legislative aide to Florida Senator Bob Graham and Representative Allen Boyd. He received a BA in journalism from Mercer University, an MA in peace and conflict resolution from American Military University, an MSc in economic history from the London School of Economics, and a PhD in public administration and policy from Florida State University.

Patricia Shields

Patricia Shields is a professor of political science at Texas State University and she served as that institution’s MPA Program Director between 1998 and 2017; she has served as editor-in-chief of the journal Armed Forces & Society since 2001 and as a contributing editor for Parameters: US Army War College Quarterly. She has published 4 books and some 70 journal articles and book chapters on such topics as public pricing, civilian-military relations, peacekeeping, application of philosophical pragmatism to public administration, privatization, women in public administration, applied research methods, and Jane Addams. She received a BA in economics from the University of Maryland and an MA in economics and PhD in public administration from The Ohio State University.

Jessica E. Sowa

Jessica E. Sowa is an associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs in the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore and is editor-in-chief of the Review of Public Personnel Administration; currently, she serves as the director of the MPA program and the MS program in Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Baltimore. Her research focuses on public and nonprofit management with an emphasis on organizational effectiveness, leadership, and the management of human resources in public and nonprofit organizations. She received a BA in English and political science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an MPA from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and a PhD in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.