Becoming a reviewer

Getting involved in the peer review process can be a highly rewarding experience that can also improve your own research and help to further your career. Peer review is the foundation of scholarly publishing, ensuring that research meets rigorous standards of quality, credibility, and integrity.

Why Become a Reviewer?

Serving as a reviewer offers numerous professional and academic advantages for researchers at any stage of their career:

  • It enhances your scholarly credentials by demonstrating expertise in your field, which can lead to invitations for editorial board positions and bolster your academic profile[cite: 1].
  • The reviewing process keeps you current with emerging research, offering early access to new studies, methodologies, and trends within your discipline.
  • Engaging deeply with new manuscripts sharpens your own critical analysis skills.
  • It provides valuable networking opportunities by allowing you to build meaningful professional connections with journal editors, fellow researchers, and academic institutions.
  • Reviewing is a vital way to give back to the scientific community, helping to maintain research integrity and improve the overall quality of published work.

Who Can Become a Reviewer?

In short, anyone with expertise in the article's research field can be a reviewer—no matter your career stage. Editors may request assessments of specific aspects, even if the overall topic isn't your primary specialty. You simply need enough knowledge to evaluate the manuscript accurately and provide constructive feedback.

Pathways to Becoming a Reviewer

There are many ways to establish yourself as a peer reviewer for Terra Alimentaria and other journals:

  • Expressing interest: Reach out to journal editors to inquire about becoming a reviewer, and include an up-to-date CV listing your research areas of expertise.
  • Recommendation by a peer: Ask a colleague who already reviews for a journal to recommend you to the editorial board.
  • Networking and academic societies: Connect with editors and other subject experts by submitting abstracts and posters at academic conferences and workshops. Membership in relevant professional organizations can provide excellent opportunities for reviewing and networking.
  • Developing an online presence: Maintain an active ORCID profile, engage in scholarly discussions on social media, and showcase your expertise via Publons (Web of Science Reviewer Recognition).
  • Working for senior researchers: Senior researchers may delegate peer review duties to you, providing a guided introduction to the process.
  • Formal peer review mentorship: Some journals provide formal programs offering mentorship from experienced peer reviewers or facilitate collaborative peer review where multiple reviewers submit a unified report. You can also gain experience by co-reviewing manuscripts alongside established reviewers or participating in training programs.

Before You Accept an Invitation

Before accepting a review invitation, it is critical to consider the following questions:

  • Do you have the right expertise? Ensure the manuscript falls within your area of expertise so you can provide informed feedback[cite: 1]. If the topic is only partially familiar, you may still accept but should flag those limitations in your review.
  • Are there any conflicts of interest? A conflict of interest occurs when you have a personal, financial, or professional relationship with the authors that could bias your judgment. If you are in doubt, you must disclose any potential conflicts to the editor and let them decide if you should proceed.
  • Can you meet the deadline? Peer review is time-sensitive. If you cannot complete the review within the requested time frame, notify the editor promptly; if you need an extension, request it as early as possible.

Ethics and Integrity in Peer Review

Ethical peer review is built on three fundamental principles: confidentiality, integrity, and impartiality.

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must respect the unpublished nature of the manuscript. Manuscripts should never be shared, discussed, or used for personal research before they are published.
  • Integrity: Reviewers should evaluate submissions solely based on their academic merit, avoiding personal, institutional, or ideological biases.
  • Impartiality (Managing Conflicts of Interest): Reviewers must avoid conflicts of interest, which include collaborating with the authors within the past few years, working at the same institution, being a direct competitor, holding a financial stake in the research, or having a personal relationship with the authors.

The Role of AI in Peer Review

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly present in the academic landscape. Reviewers for Terra Alimentaria must adhere to strict ethical guidelines regarding their use:

  • An AI tool can be used by a peer reviewer to improve the quality of the written feedback in a peer review report.
  • This use must be transparently declared upon submission of the peer review report to the manuscript's handling editor.
  • Reviewers should not upload manuscripts, or any parts of manuscripts including figures and tables, into AI tools or services. Doing so violates the confidentiality of the authors' unpublished work.
  • The peer review process is a human endeavor, and the responsibility and accountability for submitting a peer review report rests entirely with the reviewer, not the AI tool.