Leading a Shadowing process

Shadowing the Editorial Process

If you have been asked to let someone 'shadow' you during an editorial peer review and you agree to this, these guidelines are here to help you think through that process to offer the best possible learning experience. Please feel empowered to say no when asked if someone can shadow you. We recognize this may not always be convenient or appropriate.

1. Before you begin, take a moment to remember what it was like for you when you first joined. What types of questions did you have and what did you find useful in terms of your own training or development? Think also about the limits of your knowledge. Are you primarily working on translations? New Lessons? How does this match to what the new editor is likely to be doing?

2. The more experienced editor and the shadowee should have a conversation before beginning that outlines the expectations and needs of both sides. Different people may prefer different approaches. For example, some shadowees may like to watch and be cc'd into correspondence. Others may prefer the chance to take the lead, with comments and interjections from their more experienced colleague. There is no one approach, and the conversation will help you decide what will work best for you.

3. Do not assume that your shadowee has seen or knows how to use the ph-submissions repository or the differences between proposal and submission tickets, so it is a good idea to give them a tour and to point them to any resources you think may be helpful for better understanding it. You can see what they've already been asked to learn on the Onboarding Process for New Editors page.

4. Shadowees may not be used to being in the position of power during a peer review process. Guidance on managing that responsibility should be welcome. If they have experienced the dreaded 'reviewer 2' in the past, they may think this is what peer review is or should be. They should be helped to see the benefits of a more collegial approach to peer review.

5. Choosing peer reviewers can be difficult for new editors. A good shadowing experience should include a discussion as well as tips on how to best identify suitable peer reviewers, and how to approach them effectively. To make this easier we have produced two short videos on how one might approach peer reviewers: Finding Peer Reviewers and Approaching Peer Reviewers. Shadowees should be reassured that they will probably not know peer reviewers personally, but need to feel comfortable approaching them.

6. Shadowees may have concerns or questions about tone or style. They may not be sure how often or how much to post. It is a good idea to discuss this with them, pointing to examples of other reviews as necessary. It may help to direct them to one of your past peer reviews that you think went well so they can see how the whole process unfolded.

7. Troubleshooting technical issues can be difficult. Make sure you discuss who the shadowee can turn to for support if they are editing a lesson and run into trouble.

8. After the shadowing experience is over, we recommend that both parties discuss the process and learn from each other how they could strengthen the experience in future. This is also a good time to ask further questions.