So You Want To Be A Reviewer

Peer review is a process for evaluating the quality of "work" of a scientist or professional as judged by others in the same or related field. In the context of the biomedical and health sciences, it primarily pertains to review of manuscripts submitted to journals for consideration of publication, abstracts for proposed presentations at professional meetings, and competitive research grant applications. Serving as a reviewer is a scholarly pursuit and a worthwhile endeavor, assuming it is approached in a conscientious, responsible manner. The purpose of this article is to define peer review and its various forms, suggest reasons for serving as a manuscript reviewer, discuss considerations prior to accepting a review assignment, and provide guidelines for the process.