Criteria For Peer-Review of Papers

The intent of this resource is to provide definitions of, and review criteria for, papers submitted for juried critique by Global eLearning in Higher Education.  Submitted manuscripts fall into 4 areas of investigation.  These 4 categories of investigation are provided by the journal’s editorial board as follows:

The recognized qualitative and quantitative methods of investigation for papers considered by Global eLearning will be catalogued as follows:  1) research papers; 2) applied papers; 3) pedagogical papers; and 4) perspective papers (sound literature reviews to update the state-of-the-art.

Research Papers

Qualitative research is defined as systematic study to gain knowledge or understanding necessary to determine the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met.

Quantitative research is defined as systematic study directed toward greater knowledge and understanding of the basic aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications toward processes or products in mind.

Criteria for Research Papers

• Paper focus is useful to eLearning audiences;
• Clearly defined topic and purpose, including a statement regarding the significance of the study/research;
• Literature review contains relevant information that builds the case for the study;
• Detailed explanation of research methods and procedures;
• Research results of each procedural step in the development of the research, “facts” of the findings, and proof that results obtained from the research are important to be known and disseminated;
• Statement of conclusions, implications, and recommendations;
• The paper conforms to the style and format guidelines of Global eLearning and is written in the appropriate style, the latest version of the APA style guidelines used in manuscript preparation.

Potential Questions for Referees of Research Papers

• Has the research problem been clearly defined and explained?
• Is the application of the research relevant to the field Global eLearning in Higher Education?
• For example, would you encourage a colleague, associate, or graduate student to read this paper?
• Does the literature review provide logical and clear links to the methods and analyses that follow?
• Are the research methods and procedures clearly explained?
• Do you agree with the choice of testing and analysis?  Where might you have taken a different approach to improving the testing and analysis?
• If statistical analyses were utilized, do you agree with choices of analyses methods?
• Is the quality of the paper sufficient?
• Is the content and format of the paper of sufficient quality for Global eLearning in Higher Education?

Clarity of the Presentation

• Are the results of the study clearly presented and explained?
• Are the conclusions logically related to the overall methodology?
• How well does the author(s) relate their conclusions to eLearning practice or practical applications?
• Insight and Perspective
• Does the paper take an original approach? or material discussed in the paper?
• Does the author(s) demonstrate original insights into the topic?
• Do the conclusions, implications, or outcomes of the paper make an original contribution in either the application or the solution itself to the field of Global eLearning in Higher Education?
• Does the paper acknowledge its own limitations?

Applied Papers

• Focus of the paper is useful to Global eLearning audiences;
• Clearly defined topic and purpose, including a specific statement regarding the significance of the study/investigation;
• Literature review containing relevant information that builds the case for their study;
• Detailed explanation of the investigative methods and procedures;
• Investigative results of each procedural step in the development of the study, “facts” of the findings, and proof that results obtained from the study are important to be known and disseminated;
• Statement of conclusions, implications, and recommendations;
• Paper conforms to the style and format guidelines of the journal and is written in an appropriate style, the latest version of the APA style guidelines used in paper preparation.

Potential Questions for Referees of Applied Papers

• Is the paper’s focus in congruence with the mission and foci of the chronicle?
• Specifically, does the paper focus on the development and application of applied innovative methodology (technical or managerial) that improves a process or product?
• Usefulness.  How useful is this material to the Global eLearning profession?
• For example, would you encourage a colleague, an associate, or a graduate student to read this paper?  Could you use this material at your place of employment?

Scholarship and Objectivity

• Is the applied investigative methodology described in the paper well developed, clearly articulated, and appropriate given the expressed problem and literature support?  The description should be clear enough that others who might want to adopt the applied methods described may do so.
• Are the conclusions discussed by the author(s) in the paper supported by the findings?  In particular, are the conclusions logically consistent and do they logically follow from the problem statement, the literature, the applied methodology, and the findings?
• Is the quality of the paper sufficient?
• Is the content and the format of the paper of sufficient quality for Global eLearning in Higher Education?
• Does the paper conform to the organization, style, and format guidelines set forth by the chronicle (APA)?

Clarity of Presentation

• Does the paper clearly state and explain the problem or issue that is addressed?  This statement of the issue or problem should be directly linked with and in and in alignment with the subsequent review of the literature.
• Is the paper organized in accordance with currently accepted formats for reporting applied practitioner type papers?  In particular, is there a logical flow to the ideas presented therein?

Insight and Perspective

• Does the paper take an original approach?
• Does the author(s) demonstrate original insights into the topic or material discussed in the paper?
• Do the conclusions, implications, or outcomes of the paper make an original contribution in either the application or the solution itself to the field?
• Does the paper acknowledge it own limitations?

Pedagogical Papers

Pedagogical papers investigate the art/science of teaching.  They also examine and evaluate teaching, curricula, and educational issues in Global eLearning in Higher Education.

Criteria for the Review of Pedagogical Papers

• Paper focus is useful to Global eLearning audiences.
• Problem is clearly stated and explained in sufficient detail.
• Literature:  paper identifies prior methods used to address the instructional
• problem at hand and indicates how the paper adds to the body of knowledge to
• address the problem.
• Pedagogical methods are explained, well developed, and appropriate.
• Description of pedagogy in the paper clearly addresses the instructional problem at hand.
• Cross Disciplinary:  The paper, either through the nature of the problem or the discussion of the results, goes beyond a single discipline or domain and addresses the discussion of the results to pedagogy, in general.
• Conclusions are supported by literature review and analysis.
• Paper is appropriately organized with content presented logically.
• Paper conforms to the style and format guidelines of the journal and is written in an appropriate style.  Latest version of the APA style guidelines used in paper.

Potential Questions for Referees of Pedagogical Papers

• Is the paper’s focus in congruence with the mission and foci of the chronicle?
• Specifically, does the paper focus on the study, development, application, and evaluation of pedagogy for education and training?
• Usefulness (How useful is this material to the Global eLearning profession?
• For example, would you encourage a colleague, associate, or graduate student to read this paper?  Could you use this material at your place of employment?

Scholarship and Objectivity

• Is the pedagogy described in the paper well developed, clearly articulated, and appropriate give the expressed problem and literature support?  The pedagogy description should be clear enough that others who may wish to adopt the pedagogy can do so.
• Are the conclusions discussed by the author(s) in the paper supported by the analysis.  In particular, are the conclusions logically consistent and do they logically follow from the problem statement, the literature, the pedagogy, and the analysis?
• Is the quality of the paper sufficient?
• Is the content and format of the paper of sufficient for Global eLearning?
• Does the paper conform to the organization, style, and format guidelines set forth by APA?

Clarity of Presentation

• Does the paper clearly state and explain the problem or issue that is addressed?
• This statement of the problem should be directly linked with and in alignment with the subsequent review of the literature.
• Is the paper organized in accordance with currently accepted formats for reporting pedagogical methods?  In particular, is there a logical flow to the ideas presented therein?

Insight and Perspective

• Does the paper take an original approach?
• Does the author(s) demonstrate original insights into the topic or material discussed in the paper?
• Do the conclusions, implications, or outcomes of the paper make an original contribution to the field of Global eLearning in Higher Education?
• Does the paper acknowledge its own limitations?
• Are future directions for the field stemming from the study indicated?

Perspectives (Meta-Analysis) Papers

Broadly defined, “Meta-analysis refers to the analysis of analyses.”  (Glass, G. 1976.  Primary, Secondary, and Meta-analysis of Research, Educational Researcher 5, 3-8).

Meta-analysis can be described as an organized synthesis of the analytical techniques of independent sources and their findings.  Meta-analysis papers typically summarize the results of previous research on a topic. Classic meta-analysis techniques use statistical techniques to combine the results from many studies.  Contemporary meta-analysis approaches also include the summary investigations in a topic area with the intent to propose a direction where the author believes the field should expand and alter direction.

The approach might be classified as a perspective” paper.  For that purpose, this category of investigation will be referred to hereafter as meta-analysis /perspective papers.

Criteria for Meta-Analyis Papers

• Paper focus is useful to Global eLearning audiences.
• Clearly defined topic and purpose, including a specific statement regarding the nature of the problem and the significance of the study/research.
• Literature review contains relevant information that builds the case for the study.
• Clear statements of questions to be examined.
• Appropriate methods of research collection and organization used.
• Methods of examination and evaluation sound, robust, and appropriately applied.
• Relationship between study features and outcomes clearly explained.
• Statement of conclusions, implications, and recommendations plainly affirmed.
• Paper conforms to the style and format guidelines of the journal and is written in an appropriate style.  Latest version of the APA style guidelines used in paper.

Potential Questions for Referees of Paper

• Is the topic or issue of the paper significant to the field?
• Does the treatment of the material demonstrate this significance?
• Usefulness
• How useful is this material to the Global eLearning profession?  For example, would you encourage a colleague, an associate, or graduate student to read this paper?
• Could you use this paper at your place of employment?

Scholarship and Objectivity

• Are all relevant sources and information reviewed?
• Are sources and materials used accurately and effectively?
• Are interpretations of theoretical perspectives and research findings appropriately critical, accurate, and cogent?
• Are investigative methods, data analyses and procedures appropriate and accurate?

Clarity of Presentation

• Are the issues, points of view, findings and conclusions presented clearly?
• Is the overall organization of the paper appropriate and effective?
• Is the paper well-written and readable?
• Insight and Perspective
• Does the paper take an original approach?
• Does the author(s) demonstrate original insights into the topic or material discussed in the paper?
• Do the conclusions, implications, or outcomes of the paper make an original contribution to the field of Global eLearning in Higher Education?
• Does the paper acknowledge its own limitations?
• Are future directions for the field stemming from the study indicated?