Eleni Petkari is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology and Speech Therapy, at the University of Malaga, Spain. Of Greek…
A year of Editor Spotlight 2024: Tips from Academic Editors
PLOS One Academic Editors share tips on ensuring robust peer review process, fostering collaboration, and leading successful careers in interdisciplinary fields.
[In various collaborative projects,] I think genuinely believing that almost everyone is doing their best and well-intended allows for the development of meaningful connections with all types of stakeholders.
Interestingly, I reserve the abstract for last, preferring to critique it with a fully informed perspective on the study’s objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions, thereby ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the authors’ presentations.
I read each reviewer’s comments and suggestions by relating them to the respective sections of the manuscript in which they are making those comments and suggestions. I use this method for all applicable sections of the manuscript.
[It’s important to select] expert reviewers with diverse expertise who can critically assess the work from different perspectives. Their feedback should be constructive and aimed at improving the manuscript, helping authors refine their research, and enhancing the clarity and transparency of the findings.
I try to learn from my own negative experiences I have had as an author and some of the painful rejections I have gotten. I also try to control my own biases by getting a third reviewer if we have a rejection which can take time but we always do this.
An interdisciplinary researcher in my opinion must be able to ‘pick’ portions of study within their expertise and collaborate with experts at the conception level to understand the rigor of the study and its usage.
Disclaimer: Views expressed by contributors are solely those of individual contributors, and not necessarily those of PLOS.
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