Peer Review

Peer reviewers strengthen the validity, effectiveness, and appropriateness of the text. — Karen Bjork, Head of Digital Initiatives, Portland State University

The quality and accuracy of an open textbook can be addressed in a variety of ways. Here are some models that are currently used:

By Author Invitation: Authors invite and coordinate peers to review their work before publication. This review can be private or public, for example in the form of letters that are published with the text. There may be modest funding to pay reviewers for their time.

Via Publisher: Project managers send the textbook, or portions of the textbook, to reviewers. There may be modest funding to pay reviewers for their time. Common turn-around times range from 2 weeks to one month. The process may be blind or open.

Student Tested: Some faculty test their textbook in the classroom and incorporate student feedback. This method means that authors can hear directly from their key audience about what’s working and what isn’t.

Open Textbook Library: Faculty who teach at Open Textbook Network member institutions are invited to review published textbooks using a rubric. The reviews are public and unedited.

For more, see Self-Publishing Guide, Peer Review [New Tab].