EditorialResponding to referees’ reports: a personal perspective
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPIF-09-2021-185 |
| Published date | 19 August 2021 |
| Date | 19 August 2021 |
| Pages | 509 |
| Subject Matter | Property management & built environment,Real estate & property,Property valuation & finance |
| Author | Graeme Newell |
Editorial
Responding to referees’reports:
a personal perspective
I do a lot of refereeing for various property journals including the Journal of Property
Investment and Finance. It is always very satisfying to see a revised paper get published,
where the author has clearly responded to the helpful comments from the referees. But, it is
also sad to hear of cases where the author has been asked to revise the paper (either with
minor or major revision) by the referees, but the author chooses not to make any changes and
not to resubmit.
It is tough getting into the top property journals, and referees are selected because of their
expertise in the research area. Referees always try and give supportive feedback to improve
your paper; they are not trying to attack the paper. So here are my personal recommendations
for any author that receives a “revisions”decision from the Journal of Property Investment
and Finance or any other journal.
First, if this applies to you, it is much simpler to revise your paper as per the referees’
comments rather than fight with the referees; you will not win this game. Your priority should
be revising the paper according to the referees’comments. In most cases, the referees’
comments are very consistent, and you are getting constructive feedback from typically two
or three referees who are leaders in their field.
This is often an inexperience issue for early career researchers who do not fully
understand the process and purpose of refereeing. There are also cultural issues; it is
important to understand that referees are trying to improve your paper, not just reject your
paper or personally attack you.
Have I ever had a paper where I have not had to make revisions? No. And I always look
back on papers I have been asked to revise, and I can see that the changes suggested and
made are big improvements on my original paper.
So do not take being asked to revise your paper personally; it is not about you, it is about
the quality of the paper, and how it can be improved before publication.
It is also tempting to just send your paper to another lesser journal rather than make the
requested revisions. I strongly recommend that you do not do this. It is not in the interests of
your research career in the longer term. All universities want their researchers to publish
in the top property journals, so it important to revise your papers if asked by the referees.
The Journal of Property Investment and Finance is a top quartile (Q1) journal, so a paper in the
Journal of Property Investment and Finance will be a key element in your publication portfolio
for promotion.
What do I do when asked to revise a paper? I take a deep breath and just do it. It is much
simpler to do this and you get a great outcome.So focus on the end game of getting your paper
published in a top property journal; it will add real value to your research career. and and
Graeme Newell
Editorial
509
Journal of Property Investment &
Finance
Vol. 39 No. 6, 2021
p. 509
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1463-578X
DOI 10.1108/JPIF-09-2021-185
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