Journal peer review has been the subject of much research. However, the learning process through which reviewers acquire their reviewing ability, and reviewers' own perceptions of their capability have rarely been a focus. This interview study asked three questions about reviewer capability and training. At what stage did you gain confidence in reviewing? How did you learn how to review? Is formal training necessary? The interview is part of a mixed‐method project studying experienced Australian reviewers. The respondents indicate that learning to review is a continuous cycle in which formal training will not work. Following a mostly self‐guided initiation, new reviewers establish personal reviewing patterns. By trial and error, the patterns are consolidated and the reviewers eventually feel ‘confident’. ‘Decisiveness' is a good sign of becoming confident. Most respondents emphasized that journals could play a crucial role in producing good reviewers, e.g. by specifying unambiguously their expectations of ‘good reviews’.
Journal reviewers' understanding and expectations of peer review, their incentives to take on the task, and the reasons why they sometimes declined were explored through a questionnaire survey, with particular attention to potential differences between education, physics, and chemistry. Eighty-four senior researchers from 27 Australian universities, who had served as reviewers in education, physics, and chemistry, returned a completed questionnaire. There were significant variations in reviewers' expectations and understanding of reviewing, mostly related to seniority rather than discipline. They valued peer review as a way of maintaining the quality of science publications, and were generally satisfied with the current system; their impression of peer review's effectiveness was significantly correlated with their own experience. They saw reviewing as a professional obligation and part of their personal professional development. The most frequently mentioned reasons for declining to review were lack of expertise and lack of time.
As part of a mixed-methods doctoral project, this study drew on an interview, bracketed by two surveys, with experienced Australian reviewers. It explored questions about the contributions of peer review, the need and possibility to improve it and the driving factors for reviewers to contribute voluntarily. The respondents emphasised the essential status of peer review, especially for ensuring quality in research and publication. They also acknowledged its contributions of gatekeeping, establishing credibility and authority, building capacity, improving quality and facilitating disciplinary dialogue. They indicated there had been no significant change to peer review, and nearly half of them indicated no change was needed. A strong sense of faith and a high level of tolerance of the deficiencies in peer review were evident, which appeared to be related to the awareness that for most problems there was no obvious solution and to an appreciation of the voluntary nature of the task. This faith and tolerance, along with the complex nature of peer review, partially explained why it was so difficult to make any change to it. There is one area where the respondents were keen to see improvement -they called for their contribution as reviewers to be recognised in a more explicit manner, especially by employing institutions. The study calls into question how long a voluntary system can endure.
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