Peer Review Mentorship Program

Program Description

The ASA, CSSA, SSSA Peer Review Mentoring Program is a small, selective program designed to provide hands-on peer review training over the course of six months. Accepted applicants will be paired with an experienced mentor in their field and will be guided through the process of reviewing for an ASA, CSSA, SSSA journal. The program is free of charge, but mentees are required to be ASA, CSSA, and/or SSSA members at the time of application. Potential candidates are early-career professionals (graduate students or post-docs) with little to no prior peer-reviewing experience. Ideal candidates will have some experience with academic publishing from an author perspective.

Mentee applicants can apply here.

Volunteer to be a mentor here.

Course Work

Prior to meeting with their mentor, mentees will be asked to complete two free peer review courses through Web of Science Academy. These courses (approx. 2 hours total) will give a broad overview of the peer review process.

After completing these courses, mentees and mentors will schedule multiple meetings over the course of six months to complete the following recommended curriculum (note: this curriculum may be accelerated or adjusted as needed):

• Session 1: Introductory meeting, mentor shares an example review and tips
• Sessions 2–4: Mentee prepares practice reviews on example papers (provided by mentor) and receives feedback
• Session 5: Mentee and mentor conduct a mentored review on an actual paper for an ASA, CSSA, SSSA journal

Recognition

Mentees can receive credit for mentored reviews through their Web of Science profile. Program graduates will be enrolled as peer reviewers in ASA, CSSA, SSSA journals relevant to their expertise, receive a certificate of course completion, and be recognized through society outlets and at the ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual meeting. Graduates from this program may receive special consideration for future early career board positions or ASA, CSSA, SSSA journal awards.

Code of Conduct

In addition to the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Statements of Ethics, participants are required to abide by the Peer Review Mentorship Program code of conduct.

The Societies are committed to providing a safe and productive environment for everyone involved in this program. Meetings between participants should be focused on constructive feedback and professional development for early career members. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA prohibit intimidating, threatening, or harassing conduct and this policy applies to everyone associated with the program. Harassment of any kind is a serious issue, will not be tolerated in any form, and includes the following:

• Offensive comments related to ethnicity, religion, disability, age, economic status, physical appearance, gender, or sexual orientation.
• Intentionally unconstructive, inappropriate, or antagonistic comments on a participant’s work.
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or unprofessional and unwelcomed contact outside of program activities.
• Any other harassment activity.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If you are being harassed or have any other concerns, please contact the Director of Publications, Matt Wascavage, who will work with the appropriate staff to resolve the situation. We value your participation in this program and want to make your experience as productive and comfortable as possible.