Reviewers’ Perceptions of the Peer Review Process in Journalism and Mass Communication

Abstract

This survey of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) scholars ( N = 547; response rate = 39.3%) examines perceptions of peer review, a study last undertaken in 1990. Respondents rated intrinsic motivations, such as helping others, more highly than extrinsic motivations, such as reviewing as a consideration for career advancement. Respondents believed they did a significantly better job as reviewers than did scholars who reviewed their work. More experienced reviewers saw their role as balanced between critic and coach, whereas less experienced reviewers saw their role as significantly more critical. Overall, respondents were ambivalent about the state of peer review, yet they resisted adopting approaches other than double-blind review.