School of Communication Associate Professor Dr. Rachel Bailey was awarded “Editor’s Choice of the Year” by the Journal of Media Psychology (JMP) earlier this month, making her the first-ever recipient of this award. JMP has never awarded in this category before Bailey, but due to her outstanding work and historical recognition by nearly every JMP editor, she truly set herself apart as a reviewer. Bailey has also received JMP awards for “Distinguished Review” in 2021, and “Reviewer of the Year” in 2022 and 2023. As a leading journal in Media Psychology, JMP is recognized as one of the most prominent and prestigious refereed journals in communication, making Bailey’s accomplishment even more esteemed.

“It’s an honor. I think the peer review system, when done well, can produce excellent work,” Bailey said. “I will always be grateful to my dissertation advisor, Dr. Annie Lang, for teaching me how to be constructively critical in reviews. She has been a constant source of inspiration to me throughout my career.”

Bailey joined the JMP editorial board in 2022 after being part of the Media Psychology board in 2021, and the Health Communication board in 2019. She has since joined the Social Science Computer Review in 2023.

In the 25-30 papers she reviews annually for several respected journals, Bailey always tries to make papers the best they can be. She upholds consistent collaboration and thoughtful critique that helps a journal operate smoothly. “My rule for reviewing is to say yes to something I should review in my expertise area, no matter the journal, say yes to things that make sense for me to review when I’m on a journal’s board, and then very discriminately for others,” she said. Whether she is rereviewing a revised submission or is the first set of eyes to see a paper, Bailey always strives to do her best and to immerse herself deeply into her field.