Critical evaluation and review are key to progress. The findings and discoveries of new research can have far-reaching implications for individuals and society. This is why review plays such a vital part in the publishing process, giving detailed and professional commentary is necessary for the validity and quality of new research.
The importance of peer review
Peer review works to set an important benchmark for new research, by assessing the validity, quality and originality of it before it reaches the wider world. In turn, it works to maintain the integrity of journals and publishers, ensuring that only high-quality research is published.
It also plays a key role in ensuring transparency, allowing both the public and peers to assess the quality of new research and also supporting others in the field to build upon it with their own research. The process of having peers review, verify and replicate findings is key to transparency. As such, as a community, the act of peer review is the embodiment of progress through collaboration.
Pain points of the traditional process
Currently, many argue that the traditional review process isn’t built on fairness. The allocation of papers to reviewers includes a human element that may allow the impact of prejudice towards topic, author or other aspects to influence the process. In turn, the process is slowed down and it can be difficult to find appropriate reviewers, slowing down the publication of results. A typical conference beginning to end takes 15 months of planning.
The current process is based on a committee’s ability to attract the necessary reviewers with relevant expertise. People chosen for review often may not be available or having reviewed a paper, they might have changed their research topic interest before it is published and no longer be an ideal reviewer.
The EAI process
The EAI process seeks to eliminate some of these pain points by connecting the relevant program committee with volunteer reviewers who are able to announce their willingness and readiness to partake.
With the EAI bidding system, the program committee is connected with people who are ready and interested to partake in peer review and have expressed this by bidding for specific conferences that are relevant to their area of research.
The bidding process means that available and willing reviewers are connected with committees long before the actual reviewing stage of the conference starts. This allows the technical program committee to pre-evaluate the reviewer volunteer pool, validating their ability and allowing the committee to choose the best candidates with no time pressure and little delay.
Currently the work is shared across our community of more than 100,000 members.
Become a reviewer
Stay informed about research trends in your area of expertise. If you’re not already a member, create a free EAI account to stay informed on all activities at EAI. Click here to register as a reviewer.
