Dear Reviewer 2: Go F' Yourself

In: Social science quarterly, Band 101, Heft 4, S. 1648-1652

Abstract

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to empirically test the wide belief that Reviewer #2 is a uniquely poor reviewer.MethodsThe test involved analyzing the reviewer database from Political Behavior. There are two main tests. First, the reviewer's categorical evaluation of the manuscript was compared by reviewer number. Second, the data were analyzed to test if Reviewer #2 was disproportionately likely to be more than one category below the mean of the other reviewers of the manuscript.ResultsThere is no evidence that Reviewer #2 is either more negative about the manuscript or out of line with the other reviewers. There is, however, evidence that Reviewer #3 is more likely to be more than one category below the other reviewers.ConclusionsReviewer #2 is not the problem. Reviewer #3 is. In fact, he is such a bad actor that he even gets the unwitting Reviewer #2 blamed for his bad behavior.