British Journal of Biomedical Science call for referees

I’d like to think we are doing something right, as our Journal is experiencing a surge of incoming manuscripts that hope to be published. In the normal scheme each paper would be sent out to at least two ‘referee’s’, who would help the Editor judge the value of each paper and so whether or not it should be published. This reviewing process can take an hour or so, perhaps longer, although some experienced referees can assess very rapidly.
The Journal is evolving into an education and information vehicle for lab scientists by lab scientists, with lab scientists offering advice to the Editor as referees. So far the system has been working well, the referees being drawn from the membership of each particular Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP), without whom the Journal could not run. However, the submission rate is now so high that all members of the microbiology, immunology and microbiology SAPs each have a paper to referee.

Refereeing is a pro-bono opportunity to keep up to date and help out both the Journal and lab scientists from all over the world. Appreciating that we are all busy professionals, the Editor is unwilling to ‘burden’ his colleagues with more than one paper to referee at a time, and he would ideally like to give each referee a break of perhaps a month between reviewing. What this boils down to is that we need more referees.

Members of the SAPs are by definition at the top of their discipline, but are by no means the only members of the Institute with experience, and we are keen to recruit more referees from the general membership. Qualities required of a good referee are experience, the ability to grasp the message, and an appreciation of whether or not the particular paper represents an advance in biomedical science. But put more simply, does the referee think the paper valuable to his junior and middle-ranking staff? Would it add to their knowledge as so make them a better scientist?

Those most likely to be in a position to help will be Chartered Scientist Fellows working at NHS Band 7 or above or at an equivalent non-NHS grade. Individuals who hold a Higher Specialist Diploma would be very well placed to undertake this role. Naturally, experience of research and/or teaching and/or a higher degree would be a help, as would a history of refereeing for other Journals, but these are not essential. We are also happy for academics to join the panel, but these are likely to be at least senior lecturers in a HUCBMS University (as several referees already are). What is essential is a clear mind and the time to provide a balanced and impartial opinion within three weeks of accepting an invitation to referee.

If you feel you are able to get involved, then please do send a one-page CV to the Editor (andrewblann@ibms.org) indicating your experience. Of particular value are those who can review manuscripts whose methods include molecular genetics.