A closer look at peer review

There are a few variations of peer review. This section will go into each so you can feel comfortable choosing the best option for your manuscript.

At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we are committed to making sure your manuscript is handled and assessed fairly and ethically. We reduce bias in peer review by asking our editors and reviewers to:

• be aware of potential unconscious biases
• focus on the science instead of the names, locations or career stages of the authors
• take time to make decisions
• rely on facts instead of feelings to shape recommendations
• consider and reconsider the reasons for any suggestions

By making our reviewers aware of their own implicit biases, we are collectively working towards a consistent and fair process. Double-anonymised peer review also helps to protect authors from bias.

In support of our commitment to improving inclusion and diversity in all its forms, there are instances where we ask authors, reviewers, and editors to provide information on their gender. However, we give individuals the option if they would ‘prefer not to say’. This data is only seen by the Royal Society of Chemistry internal staff and editors to analyse trends and identify where improvements are needed.

Learn more about how we use gender data

Watch our video for more on implicit bias

There are several things we do to prioritise fairness during the publishing process. This starts with making sure our editors and peer reviewers are well-trained and supported so they can provide the most fair, rigorous, and inclusive peer review. Teaming this with a seamless process and competitive times to decision, authors and readers can trust that published content is both high-quality and impactful and has been handled in the best possible way.

We focus on:

• Global editorial teams. We are made up of over 150 professional editorial and production staff and more than 400 academic editors. Every one of us is here to handle your manuscript with care throughout the peer review and publication process.
  
  
• Diverse editorial boards. We value different points of view and want to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. We are proud to have a diverse board of over 650 researchers from more than 30 countries.
  
  
• Diverse network of expert peer reviewers. The peer reviewers that work with us are at the centre of this question. We carefully select our reviews to ensure that only the best and most qualified are selected to review your work. We are proud to work with nearly 50,000 reviewers from over 120 countries who represent the full breadth of the chemical sciences, at all career stages. Learn more about joining our peer review network.
  
  
• Leading the way in publishing ethics. As active members of the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE), we work with, follow and are committed to COPE core practices, including those for peer review – making sure we reach the highest possible standards in publication ethics and helping to shape the future of the publishing landscape.
  
  
• Framework for action in scientific publishing. Recent work undertaken by the RSC has highlighted how systemic or individual biases can creep in at any point of the publishing process. And this issue, which is not unique to the chemical sciences, particularly affects talented scientists from underrepresented groups. So, we have put together a framework for action to make sure no scientist publishing with us is left behind.
  
  
• Advocating for inclusion and diversity in the chemical sciences. Following the great work from our Framework for action project, we have brought together 53 publishing organisations to set a new standard to ensure a more inclusive and diverse culture within scholarly publishing. This involves pooling our collective resources, expertise and insight to accelerate research culture change. Read more about this here.
  
  
• Offering you the chance to have your say. If you disagree with reviewers’ comments or editors’ decisions, you can raise it with our editorial teams. To do so, please send a rebuttal letter to the editor via the journal’s email address. All appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by our editors and, if granted, your work will undergo further assessment by a peer reviewer. Learn more about the appeals process here.

For some of our journals, you are welcome to suggest reviewers when you submit your manuscript. If you don’t have anyone in mind, then you can leave this section blank. The following points can help if you would like to recommend suitable reviewers:

• Your recommended reviewers should have sufficient expertise in the subject area
• You should not suggest anyone with whom you have a conflict of interest with
• Anyone you recommend should not be at the same institute as you
• Please do also consider the diversity of your suggestions. You can think about this in terms of career stage, gender, geographic location, race and ethnicity
• Please do include the institutional email addresses of anyone you have recommended
• If you have further questions about this, please email a member of our editorial team

We have made it easy for you to check the status of your submission with our manuscript tracker. With this tool, you can find out the progress of peer review and the publication status of your work.

Discover more

You are welcome to appeal any decision taken on your manuscript. To do so, please send a rebuttal letter to the editor via the journal’s email address. It is important to address each of the reviewers’ comments individually and explain clearly why you disagree. All appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by our editors and, if granted, your work will undergo further assessment by a peer reviewer.

We are always looking for new peer reviewers to maintain our high standards of quality. To be eligible, you must at least:

• be a current active researcher
• qualified to PhD level (or equivalent) or above in a relevant subject
• have published recently in one or more peer-reviewed journals of comparable impact and reputation as our journals

Learn more about becoming a reviewer

As a reviewer, you can join a growing network of people who are dedicated to upholding quality standards and helping other researchers publish great science. It can boost your CV and demonstrate that your expertise has been recognised by others.

It can also help you can keep up to date with current research. This means you can stay informed, become a better writer and increase your chances of gaining publication of your research.

Become a reviewer