Taking the ACS Reviewer Lab course will help you prepare for your first review, refresh your current peer review knowledge, and educate the next generation of peer reviewers.

Peer review is the backbone of scientific publishing. That’s why ACS Publications is proud to announce the debut of ACS Reviewer Lab, an online course created to help educate researchers on the fundamentals of scholarly peer review. The course offers scientists practical instruction and challenging exercises designed to hone their peer reviewing skills. It was developed jointly ACS Editors, leading chemistry researchers, and ACS Publications staff to provide educational tools for researchers’ eager to volunteer their reviewing skills, and to confidently and effectively serve as referees for scientific journals.

ACS Reviewer Lab features six interactive modules covering the basics of peer review and publishing ethics, as well as practical guidance on how to write an informative, high-caliber referee report. Comprehensive guides prepare users for a final assessment, for which they are rewarded with a certificate of completion upon achieving a passing score. Successful completion of the course indicates to ACS Editors that researchers have invested their time in this peer-review instruction and have acquired an understanding of the essential skills needed to be a thorough and well-informed volunteer peer reviewer.

Want the latest stories delivered to your inbox each month?