Supporting ECRs in peer review at Nature journals
Author: Gurpreet Gill-Bains
Peer review is an important step towards becoming independent researchers, and yet many early career researchers (ECRs) usually don’t receive any training on it. An innovative initiative in Nature journals is changing this, by encouraging experienced peer reviewers to involve an ECR in the review process. The initiative offers ECRs hands-on experience in peer review, as well as acknowledgment for their work. Learn more about the initiative, and hear from editors, reviewers, and ECRs about their experiences.
Early career researchers (ECRs) are trained to conduct high-quality, original research, to develop a deep understanding of their field, to master research methodologies, and to hone their critical and analytical thinking skills. But more often than not, their training does not include preparation for their participation in academic journal publication, although it is an inherent and essential part of an academic career.
Peer review: The importance of gaining experience and training
Academics participate in journal publication under different hats, often concurrently: as authors, editors, and peer reviewers. For ECRs, peer review is an important step towards becoming independent researchers. While authoring manuscripts has its own challenges, and editing usually comes later in an academic career, peer review is timely for ECRs, but sometimes inaccessible.
Peer review requires well-developed critical assessment skills, to allow reviewers to confidently evaluate manuscripts that sometimes deal with complex or unfamiliar topics or methodologies. It entails providing rigorous feedback, while balancing between being critical and constructive. Reviewing manuscripts is also beneficial for the reviewer’s own development as a scholar, as it improves their scientific writing and argument building skills (For researchers at any stage of their career, resources for peer reviewers are available to support them in this important work).
In journals across the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø portfolio, various initiatives address the missing training in peer review for ECRs: From to npj Digital Medicine’s editorial fellowship, and available