Quality and peer review

What does peer review do for science and what does the scientific community want it to do for them? Does it illuminate good ideas or shut them down? Should it detect plagiarism, bias or fraud? And how can early career researchers engage with the process?

Each year Taylor & Francis supports the peer review workshops run by Sense About Science, a UK charity that aims to put science and evidence in the hands of the public. Free to attend, these half-day workshops are aimed at all early career researchers, scientists, social scientists, engineers and medics. Each event examines the process of peer review in detail through a combination of group work, panel talks from experienced editors, authors and reviewers, and audience discussion.

What happens at a Sense About Science peer review workshop?

Participants have the opportunity to discuss their questions and concerns about peer review, hear why peer review matters to the public as a tool to evaluate the status of research claims, gain insights into the journal publishing scene, and get tips on how to get involved in peer review. The attendees will also become part of Voice of Young Science (VoYS), a network of early career researchers who play an active role in public debates about science.

“Very encouraging and motivating”; “really helpful for me as a PhD student”; “good diversity of panellists and good amount of time for questions”; “enlightening – made me think about new aspects”.

– Just some of the feedback from previous workshop attendees

How to book your place

Hear from Diana Marshall, our Head of Reviewer Programmes

The next Voice of Young Science (VoYS) peer review workshop will be online in two parts on Friday 19 June and Friday 26 June, 2 – 4 pm (BST). You’ll get the chance to hear how peer review works from our Head of Reviewer Programmes, Diana Marshall. 

Find out more and apply for your free place. The closing date for applications is Sunday 24 May. 

Can’t join us for the next session?

Check out these reports from previous attendees who’ve shared what they’ve learn’t from taking part:

Getting started in peer review
Lidiya Nedevska

Hands up for peer review
Adam Bateson and Huayi Huang

Peer review is fundamental to the scientific process
Scott Nicholson

A ‘Nuts and bolts of peer review’ workshop: 5 take home messages
Caitlin Longman

Taylor & Francis Reviewer Training Programs

If you’re interested in getting involved in peer review you should also check out our reviewer training programs, designed to give researchers hands-on training on becoming more effective peer reviewers. This training network is aimed at giving clear practical advice to researchers to improve the quality of the reviews they provide, as well as introducing the key principles to those who are newer to the review process. Find out more and get involved.