How to target and invite reviewers
It is common to use 2–3 peer reviewers per manuscript. Because it is always possible that some people may not be available or able to review, it is wise to target more than is required on each occasion (e.g. have five reviewers in mind and recruit three, then if one says no you have another two potentials). It is not unheard of for editors to have to invite seven or more reviewers in order to obtain two peer reviews, especially around holiday seasons. On the other hand, editors must also be mindful that local/regional holidays should not be used as a reason to keep authors waiting. For a potential author, every day is important. It is professional practice to notify authors and reviewers in advance of upcoming holidays/office closures etc., providing them with alternative means of contact during this time wherever practically possible.
Always use reviewers appropriate to the field, perhaps doing similar research; they are more likely to find the paper relevant and interesting, and to be qualified to provide feedback on its strengths and weaknesses. You should avoid asking reviewers who are reviewing other articles for the journal and/or currently writing an article; or those that have reviewed within the last month—the more they are overloaded the less likely they will be to say yes.
When approaching referees it is good practice to invite them prior to sending the full manuscript. The communication should contain the following elements:
- Title of paper and journal
- Abstract (if applicable)
- Manuscript number
- That their opinion would be very helpful
- Are they able to referee the manuscript within the timeframe
- Is it in their area of expertise
- Do they have any conflicts of interest?
- If they can’t review then can they recommend someone else?
- Deadline for response.
If they accept, then you should send the paper with clear instructions and a referee report form.