“Doing reviews is an unpaid service”: Why female Chinese novice applied linguistics researchers choose to participate in the peer review process

Abstract This article reports on an exploratory inquiry conducted with female Chinese novice researchers in the field of applied linguistics in relation to their experiences of serving as peer reviewers. Drawing on self‐determination theory, I analyzed and interpreted the accounts of reviewing that the participants shared through semi‐structured interviews. The analysis revealed that these female Chinese novice researchers were extrinsically motivated to review peers’ work for journals. They associated doing peer reviews with beneficial outcomes, such as career advancement, public recognition, and the approval of supervisors. Their accounts are also indicative of intrinsic motivation to review peers’ work, mediated by their interactions with colleagues and supervisors. In response to these findings, the study concludes that further research should be done to identify how novice researchers can be motivated to become more involved in the peer review process and knowledge construction.