Review Procedures & Training
Reviewers Main Page
Training Slides | Training Accomplishment Form | Videos | Miscellaneous
Training Slides
Used for initial and recurrent reviewer training
It may take a while for the training slides to appear in the space below.
Please don’t forget to document your training (click here for form)
Having trouble reading the slides above? You can download a PDF version of this presentation using the button below.
MWSA Book Review Program Guidelines (extracted from slides by AI)
The core principles of the MWSA book review program are built around the concepts of credibility, consistency, sustainability, and being visible and worthwhile to members, volunteers, and the public. The program aims to be credible through its consistent use of standards and guidelines. It also emphasizes that all books receive a review, even if they don't receive a medal.
Other guiding principles include:
Focus on standards, not competition: Books are judged against specific standards, not against each other. The program is not a competition where only the highest-scoring books receive a medal. All books that meet the criteria for a medal receive one.
Objective scoring: Reviewers are expected to use specific standards and guidelines, and not rely on personal feelings or preferences about the book.
Author Support: The program is designed to help authors by providing constructive criticism, and reviews tend to be more marketing-oriented rather than critical. The MWSA's primary mission is to help authors, not just with marketing, but also with feedback from the evaluations.
Confidentiality: Reviewer comments are shared with authors, but are never made public. There is also an eyes-only section for reviewers to share their thoughts with Awards Directors that authors never see.
Reviewer workload: The program acknowledges that reviewers are volunteers and that even reviewing one book per season is helpful. Reviewers are encouraged to take only as many books as they can complete within a month.
No contact between authors and reviewers: To maintain objectivity, there is no contact allowed between authors and reviewers. If contact is initiated, the book is disqualified.
Ethical Guidelines: Reviewers must recuse themselves from reviewing books where they have a conflict of interest.
Feedback is important: The program requires detailed comments for each section of the scoring form to justify the score. Reviewers should document problems in the book to justify their scoring.
Diplomacy: Reviewers are expected to be diplomatic and not demean or belittle a work, but still mention the shortfalls of low-scoring books.
Public Reviews: Reviews are intended for public consumption and also provide private comments to the authors for feedback.
Reviewer Recognition: MWSA recognizes reviewers by posting their reviews, and offering opportunities for publicity, and providing Amazon gift certificates for those who meet a minimum point threshold.
Books that are not accepted: The program does not review books that are x-rated, bash the US or military, or have copyright/plagiarism issues.
E-Books: E-books must have an ISBN or ASIN to be accepted. E-books are not sent directly to reviewers, but rather through the Awards Directors.
Training: Reviewers must complete the reviewer training and a training quiz.
Continuous Improvement: MWSA welcomes suggestions on how to improve the review and awards program.
Training Accomplishment Form
Document your initial or recurrent training
After going through the above training slides, please click on the black button below to complete your initial or recurrent reviewer training.*
The reviewer training form will open in a new browser window or tab and ask for your…
name and email address
format preference (i.e. paper, e-book, or both)
address (only required if you’re accepting paper review copies)
You’ll then be able to take a short, 10-question multiple-choice quiz OR ask for further training (including a one-on-one session with one of our awards directors).
* Although not required, all reviewers are encouraged to use this form each year. :-)
Videos
Training and Instructional Videos
Navigation & Basics
How to find our website and the reviewers’ page
Overview of reviewer administration section of our website
Use of menus
We’ve deleted our reviewers’ Facebook group, so you’ll no longer see links to it in our navigation menus.
Book Selection
How to find books available for review
Get details about book
Let Awards Directors know which book(s) you’d like to read and evaluate
Reviewer Zoom Sessions
When you get to the end of this video, a link to watch Part 2 (the Q&A session) will appear on your screen.
Miscellaneous
Updates and reviewer info
Reviewer Updates
Briefing given during our general membership conference in Charleston
Includes results and observations from our reviewer poll.