1st Edition

Developing Feedback Literacy for Academic Journal Peer Review Narratives from Researchers in Education and Applied Linguistics

Edited By Sin Wang Chong, Aurora Lixinhao Gao Copyright 2025
    168 Pages 10 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This edited volume showcases first-hand accounts of crafting and handling feedback during the peer review process from early career researchers (ECRs), journal editors, and experienced reviewers to develop the concept of ‘feedback literacy’ in academic peer review contexts.

    This novel collection of research uses personal reflections, disseminations of good practices, research syntheses, and small-scale primary studies to highlight implications for feedback practices, demonstrating how academics’ capacity, disposition, and skills in providing and engaging with constructive, professional, and actionable feedback is crucial to ensure a comprehensive and worth-while process. Chapters draw attention to the need for academics to develop feedback literary, both at the early-career-researcher level as well as for more experienced peer reviewers, journal editors and authors, furthering discussion on improvement strategies and solutions to current feedback practices.

    Reimagining journal peer review as an inclusive and sustainable, participatory system, this book will appeal to scholars and researchers working in higher education and educational assessment. There will be particular interest amongst postgraduate students and early career researchers across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for whom peer review has particular relevance.

    Part 1: State-of-play of journal peer review feedback research and practice

     

    Introduction

    Academics’ feedback literacy for journal peer review

    Sin Wang Chong

    Aurora Lixinhao Gao

     

    Chapter 1

    A critical review of scholarly peer review research from 2000 to 2021

    Chiew Hong Ng

    Yin Ling Cheung

    Part 2: Editors’ perspectives

     

    Chapter 2

    Interpreting the review process in applied linguistics research

    Cornelia Tschichold

    Alex Boulton

    Pascual Pérez-Paredes

     

    Chapter 3

    Encouraging publication of two-year faculty through a collaborative, open peer review process

    Thomas Geary

     

    Part 3: Authors’ perspectives

     

    Chapter 4

    Perception of academics in non-western countries towards paper submissions/ publishing in international peer review journals

    Maxwell Peprah Opoku

    William Nketsia

     

    Chapter 5

    The role of peer review in developing my dual educator-researcher identity

    Ayman Hefnawi

    Part 4: Early career researchers’ perspectives

     

    Chapter 6

    Developing early career researcher feedback literacy: Reflective learning as a catalyst

    Jessica To

     

    Chapter 7

    Developing novice academics’ feedback literacy: a workshop approach

    Vander Viana

    Maureen K. Michael

     

    Part 5: Future directions

     

    Conclusion

    Feedback in journal peer review: The way forward

    Sin Wang Chong

    Aurora Lixinhao Gao

    Biography

    Sin Wang Chong is Director of Impact and Innovation at the International Education Institute, University of St Andrews, and Professor, Head of Evidence Synthesis, and Chair of Research Ethics at the National Institute of Teaching in England.

    Aurora Lixinhao Gao is a Doctoral Candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, UK. Prior to her PhD, she earned a Master of Philosophy degree with Distinction from the University of Cambridge. Aurora serves as a Research Assistant at the Research for Equitable Access and Learning Centre, University of Cambridge, UK, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

    'This perspicacious volume emphasises the significance and complexity of feedback literacy in journal peer review in Education and Applied Linguistics. It uniquely blends the experiences and insights of journal editors, authors, and early career researchers, offering a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities inherent in engaging with peer review feedback, as well as presenting pressing points for future directions of feedback literacy. Essential reading for researchers at all career stages, this volume provides invaluable perspectives on navigating the dynamics of academic publishing and feedback reception.'

    Jim McKinley, Professor of Applied Linguistics, University College London, UK, and Editor of System

     

    'Peer review is an integral part of scientific development and it triggers emotional reactions from all sides. Yet, scholars are rarely trained to constructively provide feedback or effectively engage with it. To this end, this book is undoubtedly a necessary resource for those involved in academic publishing including researchers, graduate students, journal editors, and publishers.'

    Masatoshi Sato, Professor, Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile, and Editor of Language Awareness

     

    'This is a book that will transform our thinking about literacy, feedback, (peer) review, and how the scholarship review of academic journals may develop its collective judgmental acumen. Its perspective(s), frameworks, and exposition offer scholars and students insights on how feedback literacy may be gleaned and enhanced from systematic review. If research is posited as systematic inquiry made public, then perhaps review may be appreciated for its potential to support assessment literacy through systematic informed judgement made accessible and educative for all learners.'

    Kelvin Heng Kiat Tan, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

     

    'The academic practice of peer reviewing for journals is frequently a process shrouded in mystery. Adopting the increasingly popular lens of feedback literacy, this book offers insights on peer review which should appeal to academics at all stages of their career. This book is valuable for those wishing to reflect upon and improve their own practice, to support others to participate in a core aspect of academic life, and to anyone involved in journal editing.'

    Joanna Tai, Senior Research Fellow, Deakin University, Australia