November 2018 Volume  3 Issue 2

WHY SHOULD I BE A PEER REVIEWER?

Cynthia Stone, DrPH, RN; Amber Comer, JD, PhD

46

Why is peer review important?

“Peer review does the same thing for science that the 
inspected by #7 sticker does for your t-shirt: Provides 
assurance that someone who knows what they are 
doing has double checked it” (Berkeley, n.d.) 

How does a peer review work?

An article is submitted and reviewed by the editorial 
staff. Then it is sent to two or more reviewers who work 
in the same area, and they are considered “peers”. The 
reviewers give feedback and make recommendations 
to the editor whether to include the article or not. The 
peer reviewers also provide comments to the author 
to improve the article. Authors use the suggestions to 
revise their article and resubmit. 

This process means that only published articles that 
meet high scientific standards, that build on previous 
research, and are based on good evidence are 
published.

When you read articles you want to check that they are 
published after a peer review process. You also want to 
submit your work for publication to journals that use 
the peer review process. In the past few years many 

Why should I be a peer reviewer?

Many SOPHIA members have been invited to be 
peer reviewers for CHIA and other journals and we 
appreciate everyone that has agreed to work with us in 
this role. For those that have not been a peer reviewer 
you might ask, why should I do this? 

What is peer review?

Peer review is defined as a “process that is integral 
to scholarly research.  It is a process of subjecting 
research methods and findings to the scrutiny of 
others who are experts in the same field. The process 
is considered essential, but has also been criticized 
as “slow, ineffective, and misunderstood.” (California 
State University, n.d.) 

What is the purpose of peer review?

The peer review process is designed to prevent 
dissemination of irrelevant findings, unwarranted 
claims, unacceptable interpretations, and personal 
views.  It relies on colleagues that review one another’s 
work and make an informed decision about whether it 
is legitimate, and adds to the large dialogue or findings 
in the field.  (The California State University, n.d.)



Why Should I Be a Peer Reviewer? Stone; Comer

47

more online journals are bypassing the peer review 
process. If the journal tells you it will be published two 
weeks after your submission it is probably not peer 
reviewed. 

Why is it important to secure more peer reviewers? 

We want to publish articles in CHIA that have been 
through the peer review process. We want to be 
efficient in getting articles out to the public. If we don’t 
have enough peer reviewers, it slows down our ability 
to be timely.

How can I be a peer reviewer?

Complete the application to be a peer reviewer found 
in this issue of CHIA. When you receive a request to 
be a peer reviewer please be prompt in your reply. If 
you do not have time within the provided framework 
please decline the request. If you agree to be a 
reviewer please set aside time to carefully complete 
your review and return your recommendations. Your 
work as a peer reviewer is a critical step in the CHIA 
publishing process. 

Thank you for your consideration to become a peer 
reviewer. 



Why Should I Be a Peer Reviewer? Stone; Comer

48

References

Berkeley Underscience. ( n.d. )   Scrutinizing Science. Available from https://undsci.berkeley, edu/article/_0_-/
howscienceowkrs_16

The California State University. (n.d.) Definition of Peer Review http://teachingcommons.cidi.edu

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Cynthia Stone, DrPH, RN
Department of  Health Policy and Management, Richard M. Fairbanks School of  Public Health
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
1050 Wishard Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.278.0761
cylstone@iu.edu

CHIA Staff:

Editor-in-Chief  
Cynthia Stone, DrPH, RN, Professor, Richard M. Fairbanks School of  Public Health, Indiana University-Purdue 
University Indianapolis

Journal Manager 
Angela Evertsen, BA, Richard M. Fairbanks School of  Public Health, Indiana University-Purdue University 
Indianapolis

Chronicles of  Health Impact Assessment Vol. 3 Issue 1 (2018) DOI: 10.18060/22710
© 2018 Author(s): Stone, C.; Comer, A.
       This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License