Title: Authors’ guardian angels: our 2017 Reviewers of the Year
Abstract:As Editor in Chief of Tobacco Control , I regularly speak to junior researchers and novice authors about the publication process and what editors look for in submitted papers. Many novice authors are ...As Editor in Chief of Tobacco Control , I regularly speak to junior researchers and novice authors about the publication process and what editors look for in submitted papers. Many novice authors are intimidated by peer review, and lacking good mentorship, they may not showcase their work well in a cover letter, target a journal properly for the type of work they have done, or understand that at high-impact journals, the abstract and cover letter may be the only parts of their paper that are read before the initial screening cut. But they also may seriously misinterpret or underestimate the role of peer reviewers in making their work better.
Many beginning authors think of peer reviewers negatively, as though they have to run the gauntlet and reviewers are people ‘out to get’ them by finding flaws in their work. While it may feel that way to all of us sometimes, good peer reviewers are also authors’ guardian angels, saving them from making errors, pointing out flaws …Read More