Improving Referee-Selection and Manuscript Evaluation

Kochen, Manfred; Perkel, Barbara

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-9863-6_28

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 17 publications

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“…While criticisms of manuscript reviews are numerous (cf. Gove 1978;Freese 1979;Kochen and Perkel 1978;Yoels 1973Yoels , 1974, few have systematically analyzed the review process or the comments that accompany referees' recommendations (cf. McCartney 1979;Levinsohn and Schleiter 1978;McHugh 1974).…”

Section: Referee Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed Messages: Referees' Comments on the Manuscripts They Review

Bakanic

McPhail

Simon

1989

The Sociological Quarterly

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There are many criticisms of the manuscript review process but few systematic studies of the referees' comments on manuscripts they review. The authors examined comments on a sample of first submission manuscripts reviewed by the American Sociological Review (ASR), 1977–1981. Positive and negative comments were classified into twelve categories: topic, theory, review of literature, design, data, sample, measurement, analysis, results, style, ad hominem, general. No manuscripts received unequivocally favorable reviews, but some reviews were less negative than others. Referees were more critical of manuscripts in comments to the editor than in comments to authors. Authors did not see comments to the editor nor did they know the referees' recommendations concerning their manuscripts. Thus, editors had more information than authors, and authors may complain that they got mixed messages from two or more referees. However, there were surprisingly few actual contradictions in referees' comments. While most comments (both positive and negative) were general, a substantial number were about theory and analysis. Reviews of the same manuscript by different referees yielded surprisingly few contradictions, most of those about theory. The biggest difference between the comments by referees recommending publication and by those recommending rejection was praise. Referees were equally critical of all manuscripts, but were more likely to praise those recommended for publication.

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Section: Referee Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%