Literature DB >> 31015883

Peer review and publication delay.

Abstract

Selecting peer reviewers is a crucial stage of the editorial process that ensures the quality of scholarly publications. An alternative to selecting peer reviewers from data bases created with expressions of interest of volunteers consists in systematically searching PubMed for similar articles and inviting their authors to act as peer reviewers. Although this process might identify more appropriate peers, it also can increase the time of the editorial process. In 2018, Pharmacy Practice had to invite 4.70 (SE=0.33) potential reviewers per one accepting. The time from the first reviewer invitation to the last reviewer report received was 61 days (SE=2.1). These figures confirm the existence of a peer review crisis which is significantly increasing the publication delay.

Entities: Disease Gene Species

Keywords: Open Access Publishing; Peer Review; Periodicals as Topic; Research

Year: 2019 PMID： 31015883 PMCID： PMC6463409 DOI： 10.18549/PharmPract.2019.1.1502

Source DB: PubMed Journal: Pharm Pract (Granada) ISSN： 1885-642X

Despite the efforts that some publishing platforms are devoting to convince researchers about the convenience of eliminating pre-publication reviews, these pre-publication peer review externally-done process continue to be the gold-standard in scholarly publication. However, we have to recognize that the peer review crisis does exist. Some optimistic editors in the early 2010s refused to accept the facts, reporting that the proportion of reviewers invited per accepting reviewer increased only from 1.38 (SE=0.02) in 2001 to 2.03 (SE=0.05) in 2010.1 Conversely, other editors started recognizing the increasing difficulty recruiting peer reviewers, with an increase from 1.8 (SE=0.07) attempts to obtain an acceptance in 2008–2011 to 2.3 (SE=0.13) in 2014–2016, and 15% papers requiring more than 8 invitations.2 Many alternatives to the traditional external peer review have been suggested, but their efficiency could not be demonstrated.3 But, more importantly, their influence in evidence-synthesis has not been evaluated at all. Should we include an article uploaded to a pre-print repository in a systematic review or a meta-analysis, before a sufficient number of post-publication reviews have been performed? In 2018, Pharmacy Practice publicly recognized suffering from the peer review crisis.4 During 2018, Pharmacy Practice invited 879 potential peer reviewers, but only 198 (22.5%) accepted the task. This means that Pharmacy Practice invited 4.70 (SE=0.33) potential reviewers per one accepting. Additionally, 15 reviewers who accepted to review a paper did not deliver the review report. Peer reviewer selection process performance indicators in Pharmacy Practice seem to be quite below the two aforementioned journals. In fact, after the complete automation of the editorial process, selecting peer reviewers became the most time-consuming task in Pharmacy Practice’s editorial process. Pharmacy Practice editorial board started an in-depth analysis of the causes and potential solutions to solve this problem, while ensuring maintenance of high quality standards. Many journals created reviewer databases using the expression of interest received to act as a peer reviewer. Commonly, these databases use candidate-reported keywords as a means to identify areas of expertise to facilitate manuscript assignment. Criticisms regarding the poor quality of peer review reports received are frequent. Every researcher has personal anecdotes about their experience with peer reviewers’ reports. One of my systematic reviews was rejected in a journal based on a reviewer’s report that criticized our selection of bibliographic databases. The reviewer asked why we have not used Medline or Embase, when we had reported using PubMed and Scopus. In 2013, and to avoid the potential excessive self-esteem of spontaneously offered reviewers, Pharmacy Practice established a systematic peer reviewer selection process based on searching similar articles on PubMed and identifying the authors of those articles as the hypothetical best reviewers for the new manuscript.5 This selection process involves inviting researchers that have previously volunteered to serve as reviewers for the journal, which may partially explain the lower acceptance rate in Pharmacy Practice. An immediate consequence of the number of failed review requests is the increased publication process time. During 2018, Pharmacy Practice original research articles obtained the first response after peer review comments in 92 days (SE=5.7). The time from the first reviewer invitation to the last reviewer report submission was 61 days (SE=2.1). As major aim for 2019, Editorial Board have established the reduction in the time to make decisions, which means reducing the about 30 days that currently takes to: a) decide sending the manuscript out for peer review or desk-reject it; and b) analyze peer reviewers’ reports received to decide whether manuscript modifications could make the article acceptable. Reducing the remaining 61 days will depend on our ability to convince pharmacy practice researchers that acting as a peer reviewer is probably the most important part of a collaborative publishing scheme. Following the tradition initiated last year, Pharmacy Practice is pleased to recognize the contribution to the journal of those who served as reviewers, and reward their efforts by publishing the first editorial of the year with a collective authorship including all the reviewers that contributed during 2018.

Pharmacy Practice 2018 peer reviewers

Two reviews:

Rana K. Abu Farha, Applied Science Private University, Jordan Mohamed E. Amin, Manchester University, United States Suleiman I. El-Sharif, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Shazia Q. Jamshed, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia Emily Peron, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States Jarred Prudencio, University of Hawaii, United States Naser Y. Shraim, An-Najah National University, Palestine Henok G. Tegegn, University of Gondar, Ethiopia Fernanda S. Tonin, Federal University of Parana, Brazil Monica Zolezzi, Qatar University, Qatar

One review

Mera Ababneh, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan Hani Abdelaziz, Barnabas Health, United States Samirah N. Abdu-Aguye, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria Molla Abebe, University of Gondar, Ethiopia Wuraola Akande-Sholabi, University of Ibadan, NIgeria Sarah Alameddine, Nova Southeastern University, United States Saeed K. Alzghari, Gulfstream Genomics, United States Xavier Armoiry, Lyon University Hospitals, France Isabelle Arnet, University of Basel, Switzerland Omar F. Attarabeen, Marshall University, United States Minyon Avent, University of Queensland, Australia Ahmed Awaisu, Qatar University, Qatar D. Rhys Axon, University of Arizona, United States Hafiz A. Aziz, University of Queensland, Australia Marion Bennie, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom Harika Bheemavarapu, Talla Padmavati College of Pharmacy, India Susan J. Blalock, University of North Carolina, United States Helena H. Borba, Federal University of Parana, Brazil Alisha J. Bradley, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, United States Cecilia Brata, University of Western Australia, Australia Oscar Breukels, Meander Medisch Centrum, Netherlands Emily J. Cameron, Dalhousie University, Canada Jean T. Carter, University of Montana, United States Jamie J. Cavanaugh, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States Leanne Chalmers, Curtin University, Australia Farid Chekani, University of Houston, United States Brooklyn T. Cobb, University of the Sciences, United States Anwen L. Cope, Cardiff University, United Kingdom Marco Cosentino, University of Insubria, Italy Philip J. Crilly, Kingston University, United Kingdom Fatemeh Dabaghzadeh, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran Saibal Das, Christian Medical College & Hospital Vellore, India Michael J. Davies, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom Hans De Loof, University of Antwerp, Belgium Rebecca Dickinson, University of Leeds, United Kingdom Marlise A. Dos Santos, Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Marieke Ebbens, St Jansdal Hospital, Netherlands Stephen F. Eckel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States Erika J. Ernst, University of Iowa, United States Titilayo O. Fakeye, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Wentong Fang, Nanjing Medical University, China Maryam T. Fazel, University of Arizona, United States Stefanie P. Ferreri, University of North Carolina, United States James W. Fetterman, South University, United States Karen Fong, NYU Langone Health, United States Lucia Franco Trigo, University of Technology Sydney, Australia Jessica L. Gaskins, North Carolina State University, United States James Gilmore, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, United States Maxine Gossell-Williams, University of The West Indies, Jamaica Vicki Groo, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States Rafel Guayta-Escolies, Council of Catalonian Pharmacists Associations, Spain Salman Y. Guraya, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Reginald Gyapong, Nova Southeastern University, United States Souheil Hallit, Lebanese University, Lebanon Carrie Harvey, University of Tennessee, United States Mohamed A. Hassali, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia Ana L. Hincapie, University of Cincinnati, United States Maya Hites, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium Kreshnik Hoti, Curtin University, Australia Sherilyn Houle, University of Waterloo, Canada Narumol Jarernsiripornkul, Khon Kaen University, Thailand Susanne Kaae, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Maram G. Katoue, Kuwait University, Kuwait Hanna Kauppinen, University of Eastern Finland, Finland Viviane Khalil, Monash University, Australia Maher Khdour, Al-Quds University, Palestine Annika Kiiski, University of Helsinki, Finland Peter Knapp, Hull York Medical School, United Kingdom Laura M. Koppen, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States Sandra V. Kovačević, University of Belgrade, Serbia Janet Krska, Medway School of Pharmacy, United Kingdom Martine Kruijtbosch, SIR Institute, Netherlands Mark F. Lambert, National Health Service, United Kingdom Dorothy Lall, Institute of Public Health Bangalore, India Miranda G. Law, Howard University, United States Leticia Leonart, Federal University of Parana, Brazil Igor Locatelli, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Kevin P. Lonabaugh, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States Jac K. Low, Monash University, Australia Giancarlo Lucchetti, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil Márcia Malfará, University of São Paulo, Brazil Saima M. Malhi, Dow University of Health Sciences, Pakistan Meghan E. May, BayCare Health System, United States Fadia Mayyas, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan Faizan Mazhar, University of Milan, Italy Kofi B. Mensah, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana Razan G. Mhanna, Lebanese International University, Lebanon Jenner Minto, University of Montana, United States Darko Modun, University of Split, Croatia Joanna C. Moullin, Curtin University, Australia Tareq L. Mukattash, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan Sabina O. Nduaguba, University of Texas, United States Siew-Yen Ng, Ampangan Health Clinic, Malaysia Sujin Nitadpakorn, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand Marina Odalović, University of Belgrade, Serbia Lucas M. Okumura, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil Angus N. Oli, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria Amanda Olsen, University of North Carolina, United States Suan E. Ong, National University of Singapore, Singapore Lais L. Pantuzza, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Sid E. Patanwala, University of Arizona, United States Julie A. Patterson, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States Cassie Perdew, Boise VA Medical Center, United States Alexandra Perez Rivera, Nova Southeastern University, United States Sarah Perman, Public Health England, United Kingdom Samuel K. Peasah, Mercer University, United States Brian J. Piper, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, United States Adji Prayitno, Universitas Surabaya, Malaysia Mohammad S. Rahman, University of Asia Pacific, Bangladesh Craig A. Richard, Shenandoah University, United States Brittany A. Rodriguez, Texas Children’s Hospital, United States Mitchel C. Rothholz, American Pharmacists Association, United States Inajara Rotta, Federal University of Parana Teaching Hospital, Brazil Magdalena Rzewuska, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom Arif Sabah, Ziauddin University, Pakistan Bandana Saini, University of Sydney, Australia Fahad Saleem, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia Teresa M. Salgado, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States Amir Sarayani, University of Florida, USA Mostafa Sayed Ali, Assiut University, Egypt Michael J. Scalese, Auburn University, United States Tim Schutte, VU University Medical Center, Netherlands Robert Seabury, Upstate University Hospital, United States Marguerite Sendall, Queensland University of Technology, Australia Liza Seubert, University of Western Australia, Australia Kristy M. Shaeer, University of South Florida, United States Aryeh Shander, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, United States Shih-Chieh Shao, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan Brenna Shearer, University of Manitoba, Canada Syed I. Shehnaz, Gulf Medical University, United Arab Emirates Olayinka O. Shiyanbola, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States Wejdan A Shroukh, University of Manchester, United Kingdom Tan Ching Siang, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia Tin Fei Sim, Curtin University, Australia Donald R. Singer, Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine, United Kingdom Jessica W. Skelley, Samford University, United States Brian Skinner, University of Manchester, United Kingdom Carmen B. Smith, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, United States Jiraporn Sri-on, Navamindradhiraj University, Thailand Chayla Stanton-Robinson, Xavier University of Louisiana, United States Ieva Stupans, University of New England, Australia Damian Świeczkowski, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland Maw P. Tan, University of Malaya, Malaysia Adati Tarfa, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States Jeff Taylor, University of Saskatchewan, Canada Leanne Teoh, University of Melbourne, Australia Cory R. Theberge, University of New England, United States Eline Tommelein, Ghent University, Belgium Stevie Veach, University of Iowa, United States Felicity Veal, University of Tasmania, Australia Manuel Vélez Díaz-Pallarés, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Spain Daisy Volmer, University of Tartu, Estonia Eileen D. Ward, Presbyterian College, United States Tommy Westerlund, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Paula J. Whittaker, University of Manchester, United Kingdom Yosi Wibowo, Surabaya University, Indonesia Anna Widayanti, University of Otago, New Zealand Kyle J. Wilby, Qatar University, Qatar Francesca Wirth, University of Malta, Malta David Wright, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom Martin N. Yakum, University of Dschang, Cameroon Felix K. Yam, University of California San Diego, United States Natalie W. Young, Realo Discount Drugs, United States Nasriah Zakaria, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia Yanling Zhao, Military Hospital of China, China

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1. Preprint servers: a 'rush to publish' or 'just in time delivery' for science?

Authors: Alan Robert Smyth; Claire Rawlinson; Gisli Jenkins
Journal: Thorax Date: 2020-04-20 Impact factor: 9.139

1 in total