smsaladi
commented
4 years ago I’m going to second ->
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I think a bulleted point intro would work better to convey your message even if someone is just skimming over the page. An expanded explanation could be placed on the “about” tab/page.
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One of the key aspects that this database should include, is what the suggested reviewer is working on. If an editor cannot easily filter for suggested reviewers with expertise in for instance the cytoskeleton, they will not be very likely to use this database.
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start with a drop down menu for the various subject areas of eLife, but these are very broad. It may help to have one (or two) open fields there to be more specific?
On a related note, how could we best include an option to submit expertise in various fields? To give you an example, I obtained my PhD in developmental biology, studying nuclear positioning in Drosophila muscles. I switched fields for my postdoc, and am now studying bone homeostasis in mice. I still review papers in both fields. How would you incorporate that here? Would you have 2 different people refer the ECR for a separate field of expertise?
- I would also include a question asking about the career status of the referred person. Is this a Graduate student, postdoc or young PI?
Some suggestions for the form (sure you’ve thought of some of these already):
A dropdown for the endorser to classify the endorsee’s general field(s) of research (could start with the list of eLife’s subject areas). Allow selecting multiple fields.
Space for inputing keywords with prediction for a preset list.
Endorser relationship to endorsee: either a dropdown (PhD advisor, collaborator, supervisor, Department Head, Other) or a blank field.
ORCID would be good to have.
Character limit on the Why question? I like having this as a short piece of text. I’m imagining an editor using the database would first filter by field and keywords and then want to get some more context on the filtered reviewers by reading the comment here…
We could consider embedding this in ECRLife (on Ghost), it would make design easier? P.S. Journalists have kind of a similar service called MuckRack, a database of trusted journalists for PR managers to use. Just in case you find some inspiration there (https://muckrack.com/ 1).