The Editors of Value in Health and Value in Health Regional Issues are looking for peer reviewers to evaluate manuscripts for ISPOR’s health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) journals. By expanding our pool of reviewers, we aim to diversify the perspectives and expertise of our reviewer base, create opportunities for early-career researchers to engage in the process and share their feedback on new submissions, and ultimately ensure timely and fair editorial decisions for authors.
The Importance of Peer Review
Peer review is one of the foundational pillars in scientific publishing. Journals rely on the experience and expertise of their reviewers to critically evaluate papers and provide constructive feedback to help authors improve their work. The peer-review process allows journals to publish novel, innovative, high-quality research that advances the field and helps healthcare leaders make evidence-based decisions.
What We’re Looking For
The Editors are looking for peer reviewers who:
- hold advanced degree(s) in economics, health economics, health outcomes research, health policy, public health, biostatistics, or a related field
- are actively involved in research in the HEOR field
- have the training and experience to critically evaluate the research methods used in HEOR studies
- can provide unbiased, constructive feedback to help authors improve their work
Benefits of Reviewing for ISPOR Journals
- Acting as a reviewer means that you have the opportunity to see new work in progress in your area of expertise before it is published.
- As a peer reviewer, you get to see the comments of other peer reviewers on manuscripts that you review. Seeing how research is evaluated by other experts in your field will sharpen your understanding of what constitutes a good paper, which will help you as an author.
- The skills and knowledge you develop in peer review are skills that you will find valuable in every other aspect of your career as a researcher in HEOR.
- Being a peer reviewer is a way of being a good citizen in your research community.
- While your peer review is anonymous to authors, insightful reviewers are noticed by Editors. Good reviews contribute to your reputation.
How we recognize and reward our reviewers
We greatly value the time and effort our reviewers devote to evaluating papers for our journals. As a token of our appreciation, reviewers receive:
- annual recognition in an issue of the journal that publicly acknowledges by name the people who have reviewed for the journal
- notification of the editor’s decision on a paper; including anonymous comments from the other reviewers who evaluated the paper
- formal letters of completion from the Editors for the reviews completed (available upon request)
How to Get Involved
If you’re interested in becoming a reviewer for Value in Health or Value in Health Regional Issues, send a brief email and a copy of your recent CV to the journal’s editorial office at either viheditor@ispor.org or vihrieditor@ispor.org. The editorial staff will then create an account for you in our peer reviewer database and send you a link to the system to complete your profile, asking you to indicate the types of papers you would be most interested in reviewing for the journal. We will also send your CV to the Associate Editor(s) who share the same research interests and expertise so the editor(s) know to assign new submissions to you.
A Note to Senior Researchers: How to involve Early Career Researchers in reviewing
We encourage all senior researchers to actively consider ways of developing peer review skills in PhD students, post-doctoral fellows, and other early career researchers in your team. For example:
- When you are invited to review a paper, consider inviting an early career researcher who is new to peer review to evaluate the paper alongside you, compare notes, and submit a joint review.
- Support early career researchers taking on their own peer review tasks for the first time by offering to provide advice and guidance as required.
- Encourage early career researchers to register as reviewers.
- Encourage activities such as journal clubs, to encourage skills in critically and constructively evaluating research.
For more information about ISPOR’s journals, click here.