Scientific Journals

Question 1

Describe the overall Peer-Review Process

Answer 1

• Submitted manuscripts are scrutinized by experts in the field

Question 2

Results of submitting a manuscript in order of likelihood

Answer 2

1. Reject
2. Modify and resubmit
3. Accept

Question 3

How does a journal work?

Answer 3

• Main editor screens and rejects innaproppriate manuscripts.
• Accepted ones get assigned to an action editor
• Action editor obtains three reviewers, and makes the final decision
• Feedback is provided to the author after 2-6 months along with result

Question 4

Strengths of the Peer Review Process

Answer 4

• New studies are reviewed by experts
• Manages the quality of research being published
• Feedback can be extremely valuable

Question 5

Weaknesses of the Peer Review Process

Answer 5

• Not perfectly reliable or free from bias
• Supportive results are more likely to be published than negative results
• Bias against replication experiments