This book examines reports that are written by reviewers of submissions to a peer-reviewed journal. This includes a thorough study of the reports from the perspectives of context, content and genre, as well as from the point of view of pragmatics and politeness. The author examines the use of evaluative language, and the roles reviewers assume as they make their evaluations. He also explores how reviewers learn to write these reports. He then discusses the results of these analyses from the point of view of reviewer training, making suggestions for further research in the area of editorial peer review. The demystification of this occluded genre will be of benefit to doctoral students and early career academics not yet familiar with the peer review process, as well as those working in the broader areas of English for Specific Purposes and English for Academic Purposes, discourse analysis and writing for publication.
Brian Paltridge is Professor of TESOL at the University of Sydney, Australia, where he teaches courses on writing for publication, thesis and dissertation writing, discourse analysis, and English for specific purposes. He is a co-editor of TESOL Quarterly and Editor Emeritus of English for Specific Purposes.

“Paltridge cracks open the black box of a genre all academics depend on but few have attempted to analyse: the peer review. This insightful volume will certainly appeal to both researchers and instructors of academic writing – as well as authors who want to better understand what reviewers are trying to tell them.” (Lynn P. Nygaard, special advisor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway)

“Brian Paltridge’s The Discourse of Peer Review is a rigorous and highly skilled analysis of the peer review, which has much to offer anyone concerned with the evaluation of scholarly writing, be it as an editor, a reviewer or indeed as an author. Drawing on his personal and professional experience of reviewing, Paltridge also shows us precisely how careful discourse analysis of an academic genre can best be conducted.  The book is an invaluable resource for those teaching and learning about the socio-pragmatics of reviewing.” (Sally Burgess, University of La Laguna, Spain)

"Paltridge cracks open the black box of a genre all academics depend on but few have attempted to analyse: the peer review. This insightful volume will certainly appeal to both researchers and instructors of academic writing - as well as authors who want to better understand what reviewers are trying to tell them." (Lynn P. Nygaard, special advisor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway) "Brian Paltridge's The Discourse of Peer Review is a rigorous and highly skilled analysis of the peer review, which has much to offer anyone concerned with the evaluation of scholarly writing, be it as an editor, a reviewer or indeed as an author. Drawing on his personal and professional experience of reviewing, Paltridge also shows us precisely how careful discourse analysis of an academic genre can best be conducted. The book is an invaluable resource for those teaching and learning about the socio-pragmatics of reviewing." (Sally Burgess, University of La Laguna, Spain)

Demystifies the occluded genre of academic peer review Demonstrates how reviewers’ reports reveal the values of disciplinary communities Considers sociolinguistic issues such as face, gender, language background