Q: Is Medieval Leavings peer-reviewed?
A: Peer-review itself is more complicated, and more opaque, than it might seem. Journal websites assure authors that they peer review, but whether this is one, two, or more reviewers often goes unstated. It can be as few as one, or over half a dozen. The author rarely knows in advance.
At Medieval Leavings
- One (1) editor will read over your entire submission while your name is still attached to it.
- If that editor believes that your submission looks like it might interest the journal, any remaining identifying information will be stripped, and
- Your submission will be sent to one or more of the editorial board. These will be subject-area specialists, and they will assess your submission.
- So at least two, and possibly more editors will review your work and offer a written assessment of it. At least one of those assessments will be blind.
- Moreover, each of these editors will be taking into consideration the old reports, which are themselves blind reviews (usually, unless signed). In the end, Medieval Leavings editors may agree with the old reports, or may develop contrary readings, all based on their own expertise in these specializations.
- Archival Darlings submissions are original submissions, and therefore offer a more standard blind review process. However, Archival Darlings pieces are also short, and likely to be descriptive rather than argument driven. Their review process will reflect this difference.
