Interested in becoming a peer reviewer?

Thank you for your interest in peer reviewing. Peer review is an essential part of academic publishing, ensuring that student work is clear, well-structured and supported by evidence.

Before reviewing a submission, you must complete peer review training. This will guide you through the process, help you provide constructive feedback and ensure you feel confident assessing submissions. If you have not completed the training, you will not be able to review.

If you are interested in the peer review training please contact studentvoices-journal@contacts.bham.ac.uk. 

What is peer review?

Peer review is the process of evaluating a piece of academic writing to provide constructive feedback. Reviewers help authors improve their work by identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

• Assess whether the paper is clear, logical and relevant to health or medicine.
• Provide constructive feedback to help the author improve their work.
• Make a recommendation to the editors on whether the paper should be accepted, revised or rejected.

How long does peer review take?

The time required to review a paper depends on your experience and the complexity of the submission. Below are estimated times:

For first-time reviewers

Total: 3 to 4.5 hours per paper.

For experienced reviewers

Total: 2 to 3 hours per paper.

For revised submissions

Total: 1 to 1.5 hours per paper.

The peer review process

Step 1: Completing peer review training

You must complete training before reviewing.

Step 2: Receiving an invitation to review

You will receive an invitation from the editorial team.

Step 3: Reading the paper

Read the paper carefully and take notes.

Step 4: Evaluating the submission

Each submission type has different expectations.

Reviewing different types of papers

Literature reviews

Identify a clear rationale and follow a recognised framework.

Research articles

Clearly state the research question and discuss findings.

Evidence-based opinion pieces

Clearly state the argument and engage with relevant sources.

Learning, development and practice (LDP) articles

Address an important issue and provide real-world examples.

Research in focus

Summarise the research paper and critically assess its limitations.

Making a recommendation

At the end of your review, select one of the following:

• Accept – The paper is suitable for publication as it is.
• Revisions required – The paper needs improvements.
• Reject – The paper is not suitable for publication.

What happens after you submit your review?

Your review will be considered alongside another review. If the paper is revised and resubmitted, you may be asked to review it again.