What is peer review?

As a reviewer, you will be asked to read and evaluate one or more manuscripts submitted to the JIHR by an author or a team of authors. The JIHR asks each reviewer to fill out a Conflict of Interest Form prior to review. We also practice a double-blinded review process which means that the reviewers do not know who wrote the paper they assess, and authors do not know who reviewed their papers. We use this method to help ensure an objective review. 

​Please note: The AHA Center acknowledges our reviewers by publishing their names as an acknowledgement of their time and expertise on the website once the volume is published.  ​

​Peer review is a great way to give back to our research community and to learn more about all of the amazing work that is happening out there! You can learn more about the JIHR’s peer review process by reviewing our Peer Review Board Policies or reach out to AHA Centre staff with any questions you have.  We hope that you will consider participating! 

FAQs

​Do I have to have a university degree to be able to do peer review for the JIHR?
No. Every paper published by the JIHR is reviewed by at least one academic reviewer and one community reviewer. We know that there are many community members out there who have had a long history of participating on research teams and see this experience as equivalent to having a university degree. In fact, we need the perspective of community members in our peer review! 

​I’ve never done peer review before but would like to have the experience—can I participate?   
Yes. We understand that peer review is a skill that you cannot gain unless you practice it. The AHA Center is here to support students and People Living with HIV (PHAs) who would like to learn more about peer review. We may match you with AHA Centre staff or another reviewer who has experience with peer review to help you. 

​Is it up to me to decide how I evaluate a manuscript? 
No. The AHA Centre has developed a score sheet that each reviewer is required to fill out and send back to the journal managers once completed. We use this form to help ensure that reviewers are evaluating papers using the same measures. 

​How many papers will I have to review? 
You can take as many articles you would like! One or two ideally, but we will never say no if you think you would like to review more.

Do I get paid to do a peer review? 
We are able to offer a stipend to peers (people living with HIV) but generally speaking, this is a volunteer position. There are other ways that participating in peer review can benefit you, however:

• Peer review is a skill that can be included in your CV as work/volunteer experience and shows that you are an engaged member of the research community. 
• You can learn a lot about research by reading other people’s work. You may learn something new! By conducting peer review, you may encounter a new research method or a recruitment strategy that you have never considered before, for example. Or maybe the research team will offer a perspective on an issue that had never occurred to you before. You may also find examples of how NOT to do research. There is lots to learn when we share our ideas and the work that we do!   

​How long will it take me to review a paper? 
The time it takes to review a paper depends on many things. The quality of writing may make the review go smoothly, or take longer, depending on how the paper is written, for example. If it is your first time reviewing an article, it may take you longer than someone who has reviewed many papers, so be kind to yourself and take the time you need. Also, reviewing an article isn’t the same as reading one—there are lots of things to consider, but we have developed a scoring sheet to help you know what is important to consider when writing your review.  

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