The Case for an Activist Editorial Model

Abstract

We have all heard complaints about the journal review process. One common grievance is about a reject decision after multiple rounds of review. “My paper was under review at that journal for three rounds of reviews stretching out over two years before it was finally rejected. It was nearly enough to make me want to hit the bottle.” A more frequent, if somewhat less exasperating, refrain from authors is the lack of clarity in how to respond to reviews. “I received four reviews from the journal. The comments were mostly thoughtful but they led in many different directions. Unfortunately, the editor provided no guidance in how best to address these comments.” The question I pose in this essay is whether these experiences are inevitable or whether there are editorial models which reduce the likelihood of these and other problematic situations.