University of Westminster Press

Peer review procedure

The University of Westminster Press ensures that all editorial and peer review procedures are consistent and rigorous. In the case of book publishing the procedures for peer review reflect the practices and needs of various disciplines. UWP does not favour one specific procedure for all types of project, but we do as a minimum require that reviewing be conducted by independent peers, and that editors (including series editors) should not act as the sole reviewers for projects.

All journals and book proposals or manuscripts need to meet our submissions guidelines (for Books or Journals) and match the Press’s subject areas of interest and format strands; such proposals are sent for external peer review prior to an editorial decision on whether to accept or reject a submission.

Proposals for UWP ‘Policy Brief’ series or specific subject strands of policy briefs are peer reviewed internally within the University or externally before being accepted as publications for UWP. Peer review is overseen by an editorial board for each journal of book series, with individual titles outside of journals or series reviewed by two external reviewers.

Final scripts for policy briefs are reviewed internally by relevant experts within the University and amongst the editorial board. Care is taken to ensure that no conflicts of interest may arise, though the University of Westminster Press and the Press’s editorial board reserves the right to insist on independent external review of final scripts of policy briefs should the need arise and for all publications to be kept apprised of script review in addition to overseeing final copyediting and proofreading.

UWP’s Editorial board and its advisers are fully briefed on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) best practice guidelines. All of our journals adhere to the COPE mandatory code of conduct for best practice and have access to their guidance. The press provides the option of open peer review, if requested under certain circumstances.