Verity WarneAlice MeadowsPeer review – the rigorous examination of research prior to its publication – boasts a particularly long and noble tradition. For centuries, reviewers labored anonymously. Now, a new generation of scholars, spurred by the digital transformation of publishing, are developing new forms of peer review that are more open, transparent, and equitable.

As the global research community marks the second annual Peer Review Week – underway around the world from September 19 through 25, 2016 – reviewers are in the much-deserved spotlight, according to two of the founders. This year’s theme is Recognition for Review, exploring all aspects of how those participating in review activity – in publishing, grant review, conference submissions, promotion and tenure, and more – should be recognized for their contribution.

“Peer review is one of the central things about scholarly communications that we support at ORCID – and not just peer review for authors, for books and journals, but peer review in all its forms – for conferences and for funders and for promotion and tenure committees and so on. It underpins everything that scholarly communications does,” notes Alice Meadows, ORCID’s Director of Community Engagement.

Peer Review Week Logo“What we’re trying to do with Peer Review Week is to open up the discourse.  Let’s recognize what is good about peer review and let’s provide a platform for this discussion to happen broadly across different communities,” says Verity Warne is Associate Marketing Director, Author Marketing, at Wiley. “Although it’s not perfect and it’s an evolving process, and it always has been an evolving process, researchers value it and recognize that it is a central pillar of trust within scholarly communication.”

Meadows and Warne recently spoke with CCC’s Chris Kenneally ahead of this week’s events marking Peer Review Week, celebrating the essential role that peer review plays in maintaining scientific quality. Peer Review Week brings together individuals, institutions, and organizations committed to sharing the central message that good peer review, whatever shape or form it might take, is critical to scholarly communications.

Alice Meadows is Director of Community Engagement & Support for ORCID, whose vision is a world where all who participate in research, scholarship, and innovation are uniquely identified and connected with their contributions and affiliations across disciplines, borders, and time. Alice is also a co-founder of Peer Review Week and is acting as chair of the planning committee for Peer Review Week 2016.

Verity Warne is Associate Marketing Director, Author Marketing, at Wiley, where she is responsible for defining and implementing a program of reviewer services in order to engage reviewers and recognize their contribution. Verity was one of the founders of Peer Review Week in 2015 and is a member of the planning committee for Peer Review Week 2016.

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