The DIY Authors Peer-Reviewing Their Own Work
“I thought, you know what? Instead of waiting months for a journal’s feedback, I should at least try vetting this with colleagues first,” said Poelstra, a 33-year-old mathematician in Austin, Texas.
As academic publishing timelines grow longer and the peer review process becomes increasingly opaque, more authors are turning to a do-it-yourself approach. While many submit to traditional journals, others are rolling up their sleeves to conduct informal peer reviews within their networks—whether as a matter of necessity or principle.
In recent years, the trend of authors conducting their own peer reviews has gained traction. A 2024 survey found that about 30% of researchers sought feedback exclusively from colleagues before submitting their work, up from 26% in 2020, according to data from an academic market research firm.
Newly motivated DIY reviewers say they’re finding success.
Poelstra noted that feedback from her department’s weekly work-in-progress group helped resolve critical gaps in her proof before journal submission. The process took only a few hours of her time, though she admitted the critiques lacked the anonymity of formal reviews.
“It was nerve-wracking to share unfinished work with my colleagues, but their input was spot-on,” she said.
Collaborative tools
Authors can rely on institutional workshops or tools like Overleaf to facilitate feedback loops. Some researchers also praise platforms like Google Docs for enabling real-time collaboration. Other publishers and authors are submitting to third party commercialized services like www.PeerReviewMe.org to have structured and professional universal peer review completed for a fee.
Bo Fader, an editor at PeerRef, noted that even seasoned researchers turn to these methods to polish submissions.
The number of authors delaying submissions due to dissatisfaction with the peer review process rose from 18% in 2020 to 25% in 2023, according to a report from the Academic Publishing Association. Costly open-access fees and slow turnaround times were the most common deterrents.
Strength in numbers
Collaborative peer reviews are especially popular among younger academics. A 2024 survey revealed that 21% of Gen Z scholars used informal networks to review their work, compared to only 7% of baby boomers.
The $94 rewrite
For authors on a budget, cost-effective solutions abound. Menachem Lehrfield, a 29-year-old accountant and independent researcher in New York City, decided to rewrite and polish his paper entirely on his own after receiving a $2,500 quote from a professional editor.
Lehrfield turned to free editing tools like Grammarly and style guides recommended by friends. For under $100, he produced a polished paper that was later accepted for publication.
“I just don’t want to pay for something that I can do myself with a couple of good conversations and some online tools,” Lehrfield said.