A: Both academia and military realms seek not just observations but also ideas on how to address an issue. The military is a bit different in that there often sensitivities that need to be taken into consideration. Everything from operational security to political ramifications to budgetary realities need to be included within most documents or most leaders don’t want to even start to listen. Additionally the military moves at such a high pace that bullets points and bottom line up front (BLUF) writing styles are required in order to get viewed. Additionally access to the right person to actually read an academic observation/suggestion can be difficult and often requires important networking and maneuvering. This is similar to academia and getting published at the right time and in the right venue.  

Q: What sorts of academic peer feedback do you find to be the most helpful for revising your draft articles and chapters?   Which sorts are unhelpful? 

A: I personally hate the term “I have thick skin, give me your direct feedback.” I view it as saying “I am not a human, I am a robot.” As a professional, an important skill is learning the proper way of providing Constructive Criticism. Not just criticism. The purpose of peer review feedback is to help the author improve and make an excellent presentation of their work. Not to insult or hurt someone’s feelings. Let me give you an example. Someone reviewing a research article could state, “I hate this! This section just goes on and on and doesn’t make any sense. The whole thing should be rewritten.” Another option would be: “I found this section difficult to read. There seems to be several run-on sentences that should be cut up and shortened to improve understanding and readability. Go over this section again to ensure it flows well with the rest of the article and what you are really trying to say.” Notice how the first one is full of emotion and negativity, the second one provides much more constructive information and suggestions.  

Q:  You're studying for your doctorate currently.  Does academia prepare you well for the rough-and-tumble publishing world?  If so, how so?  If not, how not? 

A: I would say yes and no. It depends on several factors. Some instructors are excellent in requiring strict APA standards others aren’t as strict. Some instructors offer options; write a ten-page paper or do a 5 to 10 minute video about your reaction to the study. It is great to have options and learn to apply information in different ways, but if a student always chooses those type of options, then they won’t develop proper writing skills. Additionally I have never had a “this is how you write an APA style research paper for graduate school” type of course. It has all been learned through trial and error. I think a course like this should be offered as well as made available online by the school to help set the students up for success.  

Q:  How do you maintain emotional resilience and persistence in the face of peer critiques of your work?  Or is this not even an issue? 

 

A: I know I wouldn’t have done well if I had just gone into it blind. Luckily I had a superb mentor who told me what to expect and encouraged me to try and to keep going. If it weren’t for her guidance I wouldn’t be at the academic level I am now. I think that is main thing everyone should do. Seek a mentor and guidance from those already in the field. It makes things a lot easier and provides a lot of very much needed emotional support as well as the motivation needed to try hard things and to keep going and improving. 

Q:  You've also served as a peer reviewer on a number of publishing projects.  What research / writing / ethical standards do you use as a peer reviewer?  Why? 

A: I try hard to provide a peer review that I would like to get with real information to help the writer. Good constructive criticism and suggestions on how to improve. The key part there was constructive criticism, not just criticism. The way in which the suggestions and observations are given makes a big difference in weather or not the author will actually listen. I also do searches on some of the text to see if it has been plagiarized and also review the references to ensure that good, highly cited references are being used as well as wide source from multiple fields. Some writers from other cultures haven’t learned about the ways we view intellectual property and plagiarism so they need to be informed on how to properly cite and what sources are better than others. 

 

Brent A. Anders, M.Ed., works as an educational media consultant at Kansas State University and as a Public Affairs First Sergeant and Senior Military Instructor for the Kansas Army National Guard. Anders has contributed to multiple published works dealing specifically with higher education. The focus of these publications has ranged from video and graphics, to motivation and the use of emotion to enhance educational success.

Anders has been in the field of education for over 15 years dealing with military training, distance education, educational media, and higher education in general.