Cambridge University Press has created a guide to give a practical introduction to conducting effective peer reviews, especially for those who are new to the process.

Peer review is an integral component of publishing the best quality research. Its purpose is to:

1. Help editors evaluate and select strong proposals for publication, to ensure the best work moves forward.
2. Provide suggestions for improving books that go through review, raising the general quality of the final product.
3. Confirm whether the proposed audience is appropriate for the book, based on expertise in the field.

Note: While the information here is generally applicable to all publishers with standard peer review practices, it's important to ensure that you take into account any specific instructions given by the particular editor you are reviewing for.

Why peer review?

As well as contributing to the quality of the research corpus in your field, reviewing proposals can also support your career as a researcher. These benefits include:

1. Learning more about the editorial process.
2. Keeping up to date with novel research in your field.
3. Having an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in a field.
4. Many publishers provide direct incentives to reviewers, such as payments in the form of discounts on books and access to content.