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How to choose readers for paper drafts?

In our October "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asked:

What goes into selecting a potential reviewer for your article? Is it normal for junior scholars to select, for example, their thesis advisor or another person at their graduate institution? Should it specifically be someone who works on this exact topic, or someone who you know in the general area of philosophy?

I've never presented this exact argument, so I don't feel that I would have met someone at a conference who clearly responded well to this particular work. Although, I did attend a conference on this topic and met some folks there. What's the best strategy?

It wasn't clear to me whether this reader means "suggesting reviewers" when submitting to journals (which some journals request or even require from authors), or whether they simply mean "readers of paper drafts." I'm assuming the latter, as it would surely be inappropriate (a clear conflict of interest) to suggest a thesis advisor or someone else one is close to as a journal reviewer.

So, I'm assuming this person means to ask: what goes into selecting readers for paper drafts? Should a junior scholar ask mentors in their graduate program (even if, say, they already received their PhD)? Should they seek out other specialists? If so, how? Any helpful tips?

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4 responses to “How to choose readers for paper drafts?”

  1. SLAC TT

    Get in the habit of reading and commenting on other people’s drafts, and you’ll build up a pool of people who will be more disposed to do the same for you. If you don’t already have people you’ve done this for, you can always ask people if they want to do a paper swap, where each comments on the other’s paper. I think that generally it’s best to approach those at a similar career stage as you (e.g., if you’re a grad student, start by asking other grad students). You can also just ask to see someone’s paper, comment on it, then ask them for something similar down the line (not right away–that’s a bit too transactional, I think). Over time, you’ll have between 10 and 20 people who you can ask. In general, the more thoughtful (and quickly returned) your comments, the more willing people will be to do the same for you.

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  2. net

    The key is to start connecting with the people researching in the field. Ask the people whose work you address or draw on to read your paper. Or after an APA session, keep in touch with your commentator – they were likely chosen because they work on the same topic. But quality feedback comes from experts.

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  3. Louis deRosset

    Wait, there are journals that request and/or require suggestions for referees from authors? That seems, um, corrupt. I had heard of it in other fields, but never in philosophy. Apparently I am naive.

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  4. Anon Postdoc

    Also assuming you mean selecting people to send your work to (not suggesting journal reviewers). Then assuming your thesis advisors are likely to be letter writers for you, I think it is also a good idea to ask them to read your work so that they keep up to date with what you are working on and can write good letters talking about your latest work. I think it is also probably a good idea to ask them what they are working on and to begin to cultivate the kind of relationship that SLAC TT mentions where your reading each other’s papers becomes more and more a colleagues helping each other thing, and less and less a former student asking for help from their supervisor thing.

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