Demystifying Publishing and Peer Review in STEM Journals

Session outline/ plan

This session provides a practical introduction to the journal publishing process in STEM, focusing on how manuscripts move from submission to publication. We will explore how different journals operate, what happens during peer review, and the roles editors and reviewers play. Along the way, we will highlight key tips for navigating the publishing process and practical next steps.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

· Describe the main stages of the journal publishing process in STEM.

· Recognise the importance of the editor and understand editorial decisions.

· Understand the role of peer reviewers in manuscript evaluation.

· Respond constructively and professionally to reviewer feedback.

· Approach the publishing and peer review process with more confidence.

Presenter information:

Dr Sally Hoare, PGR Researcher Developer (The Academy) & Dr Natalie Wallis, Outputs Development Manager (Research, Partnerships & Innovation).

Natalie is the Outputs Development Manager. She has a scientific background and recently completed her PhD in genetics at the University of Cambridge. Natalie is now part of the Outputs Development team whilst also post-doc’ing part time. Therefore, Natalie is actively publishing her research whilst also developing Liverpool’s output strategy

Sally is a Researcher Developer and Archaeological Scientist with over eight years of postdoctoral research and teaching experience. She earned her BSc, MSc, and PhD from the University of Liverpool and has held two postdoctoral research associate positions. Sally has authored more than 18 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 30 presentations at international conferences. She has served as an invited peer reviewer for 25 academic papers, including journals such as Nature, PLOS ONE, and the Journal of Archaeological Science, and has also reviewed grant applications for the European Research Council and Leakey Foundation. She has led two externally funded research projects as Principal Investigator, managing international research teams, and currently serves as Co-Investigator on two projects funded by the British Academy and the Wenner-Gren Foundation.

This ONLINE session is available to research staff from the University of Liverpool. When registering for this event please ensure you use your University email address as non-University email registrations will be removed due to capacity restrictions, thank you.

Joining details will be sent 2 days and 2 hours before the session begins to the email address you registered with.

Please note - if you are unable to attend, you can register to be sent the resources from the session only by choosing a non-attending ticket.

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF) attributes developed during this session are relevant to the following sub-domains:

Researcher:

• 1.1 Development-focused
• 1.2 Strategic; Knowledge and practice
• 2.2 Research methods; Research Management
• 3.4 Open Research; Engagement and impact
• 4.1 Communication
• 4.2 Research Outputs

Accessibility Adjustments and Alternative Format requests: If you require any accessibility adjustments or have any questions about this session, please contact the Academy's RD team Researcher@liverpool.ac.uk at least 7 days before the session date so that your requirements can be referred to the facilitator(s) who will make every effort to address them where possible.

Academy Researcher Development Inclusivity Statement: The Academy is committed to providing an environment which recognises and values people's differences, capitalises on the strengths that those differences bring to the institution and supports all staff and students in maximising their potential to succeed. In line with the Academy's firm commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, we offer all postdoctoral and research-related opportunities to develop and network irrespective of a researcher’s gender, ethnicity, age, self-identification, disability, religious affiliation, or any other criteria used to separate and define.

Academy Code of Conduct: All events organised or facilitated by The Academy follow a Conduct of Conduct irrespective of the number of participants or session format. The Academy thanks all participants in advance for your cooperation to help ensure a safe and constructive environment for everybody. The Code of Conduct is available at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/researcher/development/conduct-events/

Important: We take your privacy very seriously and will only use your email address to send you information about this session. Thereafter, we will contact you only where you have given us permission to do so. After that, you can opt-out at any time of receiving our communication by simply sending an email to researcher@liverpool.ac.uk

Stay in Touch: For the latest news and information about research staff development opportunities and resources follow PGR Development on BlueSky & LinkedIn. Further details about the University of Liverpool's Researcher Development activities can be found on the Researcher Hub: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/researcher/