To Identify or Not to Identify: a Choice in Chemistry Education Research and Practice
Published In
Chemistry Education Research and Practice
Document Type
Citation
Publication Date
3-18-2024
Abstract
Chemistry Education Research and Practice is pleased to announce that authors will have the option to select whether their manuscript will undergo a single-anonymous or double-anonymous peer review process starting concurrent with this editorial. Single-anonymous has been the process to date, where the identities of the referees are not disclosed (is masked) to the author; however, the identity of the author is made known to the referees. In double-anonymous, the identities of the referees are masked to the author, and the identities of the authors are masked to the referees. Research literature from other disciplines found that single-anonymous review has been associated with higher referee ratings of manuscripts but also the potential for referee bias, while double-anonymous reviews can mitigate biases, such as the halo effect, but can also lead to lower referee ratings overall. It is unclear if these findings extend into chemistry education research. Allowing authors the choice of a single- or double-anonymous review process will also allow the Journal to learn about the relative benefits of each approach when applied within the chemistry education community. A search through the typical publishers in science education research revealed that among the high-impact journals, such as Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching (Wiley), the International Journal of Science Education and Studies in Science Education (Taylor & Francis), as well as the International Journal of STEM Education and Research in Science Education (Springer), a double-anonymous review process is prevalent. Meanwhile, journals with a specific focus on chemistry education research, such as the Journal of Chemical Education (ACS) or Chemistry Teacher International (DeGruyter), use single-anonymous processes for peer review. None of these science education or chemistry education research journals provide authors with a choice on the peer review process.
Rights
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2024
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1039/d4rp90003k
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41710
Citation Details
Barbera, J., Lewis, S. E., Nyachwaya, J., & Graulich, N. (2024). To identify or not to identify: a choice in chemistry education research and practice. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 25(2), 380–382.