MISQ Roadmap
		Becoming a Reviewer
		To maintain quality the MIS Quarterly depends on reviewers who are willing and able to help evaluate submitted articles. "Peer review" is central to the creation of knowledge. Good reviewers act both as "gatekeepers" - ensuring that poor quality research is not published- and "value-adders." In this latter role reviewers are asked to recognize the potential of a piece of research and then, through their written comments, try to help the authors meet that potential. Although adding value is time consuming and often hard work, it can be very rewarding. These and other issues that pertain to the pursuit of quality in scholarship were discussed in an MIS Quarterly editor's statement in June of 1992 entitled, "Total Quality Management of Journal Reviews" and "A Personal Perspective on the State of Journal Refereeing."

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Common Question About the Review Process

Why would I want to be a reviewer?

What if I can't do a review?

Why does it take so long to get papers reviewed?

How can I become an MIS Quarterly reviewer?

How do I become a member of the MISQ Editorial Board?
 
 
 

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Why Would I Want to be a Reviewer?

Reviewing gives you an early opportunity to see fresh research. As the reviewing process is, unfortunately, a very slow one, by participating in a review panel you can see work a year or two before it appears in print.

Reviewing is also a very helpful way to get into the network of researchers working in your field. Quality participation in reviewing activities can lead to supportive letters from editorial board members at such important times as promotion and tenure deliberations. Most importantly the peer review process is the lubricant that makes the scholarship process work. If we each would agree to do our best with reviews we will all benefit. Academicians at least, both contribute to and take advantage of the peer review process.

Practioners often find participation in the reviewing process to be intellectually stimulating and a means to more deeply understand topics that are of interest to them.

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What if I Can't Do a MISQ Review?

For academicians at all levels, participation in the review process is just part of the profession. To not participate is unfair to colleagues, and perhaps even an ethical violation. But sometimes you may not have the necessary expertise or, on rare instances, may just be extremelybusy. You might also be facing a personal or professional crisis. In such instances you should immediately notify the journal that you will be unable to review the article. Thus, there will be little adverse impact on the review cycle time. And, yes, editors and and associate editors do notice who does not return reviews - a source of some pain and bad feelings!

Why Does it Take So Long to Get Papers Reviewed?

We are all to blame - reviewers, editors, and authors. Papers spend considerable time on desks or in the mail. If we considered reviewing as one of the most important things we do (which it is), we could considerably speed up the review process. As we have discussed in a June of 1993 editorial statement, the MIS Quarterly is committed to Cycle-Time Reduction for Disseminating Scholarly Research

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How can I Become a MISQ Reviewer?

To become a reviewer for MIS Quarterly, first identify those particular senior editors and associate editors with research interests close to yours. You can find descriptions of their research interests at archivist/editor.html. Second, contact these editors by e-mail, where you mention your desire to review for MIS Quarterly and where you also (1) mention your institutional affiliation and rank and (2) include a list of your publications or presentations. The reason for contacting the senior and associate editors directly is that they are the ones who select reviewers for any given submission to MIS Quarterly.

You may also make your interest known to the MISQ editorial office (misqreviewadm@csom.umn.edu), which will keep the information on file for possible future use.

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How do I become a member of the MIS Quarterly Editorial Board?

MIS Quarterly editorial board members are chosen based on the following criteria:

Research Record

Board members should have solid research records.

 

Reviewer Record

A history of writing high quality, value adding reviews for MIS Quarterly.

 

Nominated

Prospective members are usually brought to our attention by current board members.

 

Network Capable

Board members are expected to communicate regularly by electronic mail and have access to the World Wide Web.

This page is maintained by Jan DeGross at the MIS Quarterly. She can be reached at jdegross@csom.umn.edu.  It was last updated on January 2, 2007.