Tips for Writing an Effective Referee Report

Tips for Writing an Effective Referee Report

Intro:

When crafting a referee report, remember that its dual purpose is to succinctly summarize a paper and provide constructive feedback for improvement. Each report should span approximately three pages. While it's encouraged to express strong opinions, precision is key. This blog post will guide you through the process, ensuring your report is insightful and effective.

1. Summary:

Begin by objectively summarizing the paper's main accomplishments and contributions. Use concise, precise language to describe key elements such as the research question, theoretical model, empirical methodology, data, and main results. Compare the author's approach to existing literature. This section aims to enhance your skills in articulating economic papers accurately, employing economic terminology, and familiarizing yourself with the relevant body of work.

2. Comments / Criticisms / Suggestions:

Offer at least five specific suggestions to the author, covering various aspects of the paper:

• - General Question: Evaluate if the chosen question aligns with the available data. Assess its precision and how well the results address the question.
• - Model: Scrutinize the assumptions for their reasonableness and realism. Consider whether they are too restrictive or too flexible.
• - Empirical Methodology: Examine the econometric assumptions for their practicality and realism.
• - Results: Analyze if they effectively address the stated question. Evaluate the author's interpretation for accuracy.
• - Additional Results: Propose specific supplementary analyses or outcomes. Provide remedies for any identified issues.

This section encourages critical thinking, helping you identify research gaps and formulate meaningful questions.

3. Alternatives:

Respond to two vital questions:

- Using the author's dataset, suggest other intriguing economic questions that could be explored.

- Describe an alternative approach to addressing the same question, potentially involving a different dataset or exploring a distinct economic context.

Be precise in your suggestions, aiming to stimulate consideration of feasible research avenues.

4. Recommendation:

In your final paragraph, make a clear recommendation to the editor regarding the paper's fate - reject, revise and resubmit, or accept. Provide a well-argued rationale for your choice, considering RAND's publication standards.

Conclusion:

By adhering to these guidelines, you'll be well-equipped to produce referee reports that are not only detailed and comprehensive but also of significant value to authors and editors alike. Remember, requesting additional data should only be advised if you have a specific, justified source in mind. Happy reviewing!