Human dimensions of peer review in information science

While peer review is a popular research subject in academia, including information science, most sources focus on the mechanics, benefits and shortcomings of the process. In departure from this trend, this poster will address the human dimension of peer review and its role as a community building instrument and a locus of relationship formation. The poster will look at how “negligent and unscrupulous reviewing can detrimentally affect” “a sense of community” (Dali & Jaeger, n.d.) and support this argument through a new analytical framework based on humanistic pedagogy. It will address the role of peer review in the changed information science landscape; present a positive outlook on peer review “as a privilege and an unmatched academic opportunity”; “examine in detail the elements of helpful and unhelpful reviews”; and provide “advice to authors on how to respond to reviews, especially the unhelpful ones” (Dali & Jaeger, n.d.). The poster should appeal not only to junior faculty and PhD students, but also to practitioners who aspire to publish and experienced authors involved in scholarly communication and grant reviewing.