Peer Review Options

The quality and accuracy of an open textbook can be addressed and coordinated in a variety of ways. For example, you could follow the Best Practices for Peer Review Links to an external site. by Association of University Presses (AAUP). Here are some additional options:

By Author

Authors may invite and coordinate peers to review their work before publication. This review may be private or public—for example in the form of letters that are published with the text and included in the appendix. Reviewer names may also be listed in the front matter. 

Faculty authors could ask, "If you were going to teach this in your classroom, what would you change?” This keeps the focus on pedagogy and how best to achieve learning outcomes (rather than sales, for example).

By Publisher

Project managers who oversee textbook production may send the textbook, or portions of the textbook to reviewers. These reviewers may or may not have been identified by the textbook author. There may be modest funding to pay reviewers for their time. If so, stipends are often between $150-$250. Common turn-around times range from 2-6 weeks, depending on length and complexity. The process may be blind or open. 

Publisher Example #1

For one example of a project manager's letter of inquiry to a potential peer reviewer, see this template Links to an external site.from the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction.

Publisher Example #2

Dear [REVIEWER]:

Attached please find the manuscript for [TITLE]. Thank you for agreeing to review it. Our questions are as follows:

  1. Is there something "new" here? What sets this work apart from others in the field?
  2. What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the work? 
  3. Are the facts right? Has the author referenced relevant sources? Do the methodology and data seem to add up? Are any translations and quotations correct?
  4. Is it well-written? Clearly organized?
  5. Are there topics you feel should be covered that the author has not mentioned? Is there anything on which the author dwells too deeply? Do you have any additional suggestions?
  6. Would the completed textbook be one you would recommend to students and colleagues?
  7. May we share your identity with the author?

We would like to receive your response by [DATE]. In recognition of your efforts, we can offer you an honorarium of [AMOUNT]. In order to process this payment, we require the attached W-9.

Once you've completed your report, please email your comments and the completed financial paperwork. Once again, thank you for taking this on. We look forward to hearing your opinion on the manuscript.

Additional Questions for Reviewers

  • Is the book written at an appropriate level?
  • Would you use this book in your course?
    • If yes, which course? How many students are enrolled?
    • If not, are there changes that could be made so that you would use the book in your course?

By Student

Some faculty test their textbook in the classroom in order to incorporate student feedback. This method means that authors hear directly from their key audience about what’s working and what isn’t. For more perspectives about classroom review for open textbooks, watch this Office Hours Links to an external site..

By Library

Libraries sometimes collect and collate errata and feedback for faculty works they have published. This is typically gathered using a form on the institutional repository page where the textbook is made available for download. These notes can then inform future editions.

Textbooks in the Open Textbook Library may be peer reviewed using a rubric developed by BCcampus. The reviews are public and unedited, and appear with the textbook record.

Adapted from the Peer Review chapter in Authoring Open Textbooks Links to an external site. (CC BY Links to an external site.) by Open Education Network.