Resources for referees

Focus on Peer review

The Focus on Peer Review course has been produced by the Nature Masterclasses team. Registration is required but it is otherwise free to access.

Module 1: Your role as peer reviewer

This module covers the importance of peer review in the scientific process, and what is expected of a peer reviewer once you agree to review.

Module 2: The peer review report

This module covers strategies for performing efficient and thorough peer review, and recognizing which aspects of a paper you should review.

Module 3: Ethics in peer review

This module covers your responsibilities as a peer reviewer, as well as issues relating to conflicts of interest and confidentiality.

Module 4: Variations and innovations in peer review

This module covers the different types of peer review that are in common usage, and the different initiatives to improve peer review across journals and disciplines.

Editorials

Just the Facts - an Editorial from Communications Biology

Scientific investigation is grounded in the objective pursuit of facts as guided by the scientific method. The process by which new results are vetted and communicated publicly - peer review - should be guided by similar principles.

Paving the way toward better peer review – an editorial from Nature Communications

Nature Communications, like Communications Physics, are committed to support reviewers with all relevant information needed to draft their reports. 

Kinder Peer Review – a post from Rebecca Kirk at scientistsarehumans.com

Advice for both reviewers and authors on making the peer review process more constructive and less adversarial

Links

Springer Nature Resources for peer reviewers
Publons Academy