Volunteering as a Referee for the JSCE

Q. If I am interested in serving as a volunteer referee for the JSCE during an annual meeting, whom should I contact?
A. On the registration form for the annual SCE meeting, a full members of the Society interested in serving as referees can indicate interest. These are forwarded to the co-editors of the JSCE. The co-editors aim to match well the expertise of volunteer referees with essays submitted for review.

Q. What are the responsibilities of JSCE referees?
A. Referees are expected to give each manuscript they are assigned a close reading. Referees are asked to pick up the paper(s) from the SCE registration desk immediately before the opening session of the annual meeting.

Referees are expected to attend the session at which the author presents the paper, staying for the discussion as well as the presentation itself. Referees should include in their evaluation remarks about the reception of the paper. If the referee’s assessment of the manuscript differs from the assessment of the presentation and discussion, referees are to include an explanation in their remarks.

In preparing evaluations, referees should consider the criteria for paper selection. Referees are expected to make a summary judgment of the paper,to justify that judgment, and provide typed comments. These comments are desirable even if the paper is not recommended for publication. One purpose of the refereeing process, and the one for which authors most often express their deep gratitude, is the collegial function of helping one another improve our scholarly work.

Referees are to return their summary judgment and comments as soon as practical following the annual meeting and before the end of January.