Radboud University Press

Peer review procedure

Review Stages at Radboud University Press

If, after an introductory meeting, both the Press and the author(s) agree that the publication would be fit to be published at Radboud University Press, we’ll send you a questionnaire with questions about your publication.

There are three review stages. At every stage, the publication project can be accepted or rejected.

  1. Desk review: after an introductory meeting we will send you a questionnaire with questions about your publication project. This questionnaire will be reviewed by a member of our Editorial Board, who is an expert in the relevant field. The objective of this review is to determine whether your publication aligns with the fundamental criteria for publishing with Radboud University Press.
  2. Review upon submitting the manuscript: once the manuscript is submitted, the same Editorial Board member will verify if the manuscript is in line with the project agreed upon in the questionnaire, publication proposal and contract.
  3. External peer review: organised by the same member of the Editorial Board or a representative of their choosing.

Peer Review Guidelines

Every book published by Radboud University Press undergoes an external peer review process. The review is mostly double-blind but it can be decided to proceed with a blind or open process, depending on the preferences of the author and the Editorial Board member.

This peer review is organised by the Editorial Board of the Radboud University Press, which consists of expert representatives from every faculty at Radboud University. An Editorial Board member will organise the review or engage a Review Committee to organise the review.

The review will be done by a minimum of two external experts. The Editorial Board representatives have the right to adapt the peer review process of the publication. For example, with an interdisciplinary publication, the decision can be made to involve more reviewers from different fields. Edited volumes can be subject to a more extensive review procedure and the author will be informed of the specifics, where relevant.

The peer review comments will be sent to the Review Committee or the Editorial Board member, where they will be analysed, grouped and communicated to the author.

Please visit our website to see our current Editorial Board members.

When submitting your manuscript for Peer Review, please deliver the manuscript as a text file or PDF, preferably as one file and with the name(s) of the author(s) removed from the file.

The Peer Review form

  1. Originality: Does this manuscript offer a useful and/ or original contribution to the field?
  2. Topicality: Does it adequately engage with recent scholarship?
  3. Scientific Quality: Does it take existing scholarship forward?
  4. Relevance to the field(s): What is your opinion on the relevance of the proposed book for the scientific community?
  5. Strengths and weaknesses: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed book?
  6. Suggestions for the author(s) and editor: What recommendations would you like to give to the author(s) and to the editor in regards to the publication of the proposed book?
  7. Suggestions for the author(s) and editor: Is the book well written? Do you find it easy to read? Do you notice inconsistencies and/ or spelling mistakes?
  8. Suggestions for the author(s) and editor: Do you think this book needs a professional language editor?
  9. Reviewer’s Decision Comment: What is your overall evaluation of the proposed book?

Peer Review: possible outcomes

  • Accepted for publication as is
  • Accepted for publication with minor revisions
  • Accepted for publication with major revisions
  • Accepted for publication with major revisions, new peer review after submission of revised manuscript
  • Rejected

Processing the Peer Review comments

While processing the reviews, please keep a log of changes made, or not made, based on the reviewers’ comments. The Editorial Board member will look over the revisions before giving the final go-ahead for publication.