The Unseen Costs of Peer Review Or why peer review can never be free (even if your paper is perfect) Alice Ellingham, Director Editorial Office Limited Hampshire, UK

Who are the main players in peer review? Publish (print/online) Market Distribute / host Add value Foster editorial independence Drive to improve publication standards Publisher / Society Reproduced with permission from APS APS 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 review No financial reimbursement for time Reviewers

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

The Publishing Cycle The 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 Studies JOURNAL Annual New Submissions Average Weekly Hours Average Mins / New Submission A B C

Are all journals the same then…….? Revised Subs Reviewers Reports Queues Production Other New Subs s

Editorial Office Tasks Submission Scope Submission Policy Ethics Declarations Review Invite Secure Chase In Decision Assist Chase In ProductionAssist Author 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 X Medium sized journal with 4% growth over past three years 3545 Weekly editorial hours

Lack of Oversight Example – Society Journal X Medium sized journal with 4% growth over past three years Weekly editorial hours 17

How do you reduce time? Anna Assistant Emily Editorial

Author tools

Unseen costs of peer review Communication Assistance to all participants Ensuring the high standard of peer review Know the tasks Know the time Use best practice Reduce overall cost