Chee Kong Yap

DOI: 10.26480/ess.01.2025.41.42

ABSTRACT
Peer review is foundational to maintaining the integrity and quality of academic publishing, yet the system relies heavily on the uncompensated labour of reviewers. Drawing from personal experience and supported by recent literature, this article critically examines the hidden economic, emotional, and professional costs borne by academic reviewers. It explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding unpaid peer review, the financial imbalances between reviewers and publishers, and the structural weaknesses that inhibit innovation and contribute to reviewer fatigue. Evidence suggests that despite publishers earning substantial revenue through Article Processing Charges (APCs), reviewers receive minimal recognition or support. The article also proposes actionable solutions, such as financial compensation, institutional acknowledgment, and alternative review systems like the professional reviewer model and reader system. To ensure the sustainability and fairness of the peer review process, a structural reform involving publishers, academic institutions, and scholarly communities is urgently needed.

KEYWORDS
peer review, academic publishing, reviewer compensation