External Event: NU-RES Peer Review Essentials: Ethics, Standards, and Best Practices

Presenter:

Prof. Patricia Mabrouk, Chemistry, College of Science Workshop

Details:

Peer review serves as the foundation of scholarly publishing, ensuring the quality and integrity of academic research while providing invaluable professional development opportunities. This virtual deep-dive workshop explores the multifaceted role of peer reviewers in maintaining scholarly standards while addressing contemporary challenges, including bias, AI integration, and evolving publication practices.

Participants will examine the peer review process from initial invitation through final recommendation, learning to navigate different review formats, assess manuscript quality objectively, and provide constructive feedback that advances scholarly discourse. The workshop addresses critical ethical considerations, including conflict of interest identification, bias recognition, confidentiality requirements, and the appropriate use of emerging technologies in review processes.

Through analysis of real review examples and discussion of common ethical challenges, attendees will develop practical skills for conducting thorough, fair, and constructive reviews. This session is designed primarily for graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty beginning their peer review journey, though it also serves as a valuable refresher for those seeking to enhance their review skills and understanding of contemporary challenges in scholarly publishing.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Navigate contemporary challenges in peer review including AI integration, predatory journals, and maintaining integrity in an evolving scholarly landscape.
2. Distinguish between different types of peer review systems (single-blind, double-blind, open review) and understand their implications for bias and fairness.
3. Conduct systematic manuscript evaluations using established criteria for assessing significance, methodology, validity, and presentation quality.
4. Compose constructive, objective, and actionable peer reviews that provide valuable feedback to authors while supporting editorial decision-making.
5. Identify common ethical problems in peer review including bias, conflicts of interest, confidentiality breaches, and inappropriate use of AI tools.
6. Recognize the professional development opportunities that peer review provides and understand pathways to editorial leadership roles.

If interested, please contact Morgan Fielding for the calendar invite: [email protected]