the unseen costs of peer review or why peer review can never be free (even if your paper is...

The Unseen Costs of Peer Review

Or why peer review can never be free (even if your paper is perfect)

Alice Ellingham, DirectorEditorial Office LimitedHampshire, UK

Who are the main players in peer review?

Publish (print/online) Market

Distribute / host

Add value

Foster editorial independenceDrive to improve publication standards

Publisher / Society

Reproduced with permission from APSAPS News, June 2002 Issue

Who are the main players in peer review?

Professor - Clinician or Researcher

Not reimbursed for time

Very high ideals and plans for their journal

Demand instant support

Provide very high quality editorial input

Editor-in-Chief / Associate Editors

Who are the main players in peer review?

Least understood by editorial office?First contact in peer review process

Early career to seasoned author

Time dependent

English not always first language

Authors

Who are the main players in peer review?

Reviewers

Who are the main players in peer review?

Reviewers

Who are the main players in peer review?

Hard to secure

Over loaded with requests

Often require chasing

Don’t always submit

Absolutely necessary to current peer reviewNo financial reimbursement for time

Reviewers

The Publishing CycleThe STM Report , March 2015 ©STM: International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers

The Publishing CycleThe STM Report , March 2015 ©STM: International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers

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How big is the STM journal industry?

©STM: International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers

3 Case StudiesEmails

New Submissions

Other

Production

Queues

Reports

Reviewers

Revised Submissions

2015 Data for Journals A, B and C

JOURNALAnnual New Submissions

Average Weekly Hours

Average Mins / New Submission

A 1921 29.05 47.2

B 1481 21.69 45.7

C 823 13.82 51.7

Are all journals the same then…….?

Journal A Journal B Journal C0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100% Revised Subs

Reviewers

Reports

Queues

Production

Other

New Subs

Emails

Editorial Office Tasks

SubmissionScope

Submission Policy

Ethics

Declarations

ReviewInvite

Secure

Chase In

DecisionAssist

Chase In

Production AssistAuthor

Editor

Editorial Board

Reviewer

Publisher

Reader

Copy-editing

Technical Edit

Export

‘Assist……..’

“I will promptly rewrite the text and references according to the Harvard format. Meanwhile, what are ‘line numbers’?”

Production

“…does my Mother’s pocket money count as financial assistance?”Financial disclosure:

"The in house editors are strong and water proof (not something you can claim of computers!)” Late review excuses:

“We did not need ethical approval as the Mole Rats consented to participate in our studies”Lack of animal ethics:

"Data from one subject was excluded due to head motion and from two subjects because they fell asleep in the scanner"

Exclusion of data:

"Dr. XXX refers to an attached file, but I can't find it. Can you help?”File omissions:

“I have uploaded the wrong review – it’s for an entirely different paper. HELP!!! “Reviewers:

Peer Review can never be free because……

Individual editorial assistants often have no experience and little training

…however, it can be cheaper.Editorial Office oversight

Publishers often have no breakdown of editorial time

Publisher’s innovations and standards do not always filter down

Best Practice

Standards often dictated by EIC or Society against publisher’s recommendations

Not consistent from journal to journal (or publisher to publisher)

No industry standard

Lack of Oversight Example – Society Journal XMedium sized journal with 4% growth over past three years

352013 2014 2015

950

970

990

1010

1030

1050

1070

New Submissions

45

Weekly editorial hours

Lack of Oversight Example – Society Journal XMedium sized journal with 4% growth over past three years

2013 2014 2015950

970

990

1010

1030

1050

1070

New Submissions Weekly editorial hours

17

How do you reduce time?

Anna Assistant

Emily Editorial

Author tools

Unseen costs of peer reviewCommunicationAssistance to all participantsEnsuring the high standard of peer review

Know the tasksKnow the timeUse best practice

Reduce overall cost