Engagement and reviewers’ reports on submissions to academic journals

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines the use of engagement strategies in reviewers’ reports on submissions to academic journals. The data examined are reviewers’ reports on submissions to the journal English for Specific Purposes. The study found that the reviewers used directives as their main engagement strategy. These directives, however, were often indirect or hedged, making it difficult for writers who are new to the peer review process to know how to respond to them. A further engagement strategy that reviewers employed was the use of reader pronouns through which they established an interpersonal relationship with authors at the same time as they delivered ‘bad news’ to them. These matters are important to highlight in the teaching of writing for research publication purposes so that beginning authors can better understand reviewers’ reports, learn how to respond to them and, as a result, increase their chances of getting published.