Peer Review Part V.

Michael Gochfeld gochfeld at eohsi.rutgers.edu
Thu Oct 5 11:14:49 EDT 2000


After hitting "send" I thought of two more points. There are reviewers 
who feel that they have a major campaign to cleanse the scientific 
literature and rid it of less than superior products. If there were 
consensus that there own contributions were above reproach this might be 
tolerable, but it makes for hostile and often non-constructive reviews. 

It was particularly devastating to one graduate student I know who has 
never submitted anything again (but is doing good work in the 
conservation sector). 

So from all this I conclude that publishing in scientific journals is 
not for the faint of heart or the thin of skin.  Of to invoke a 
popularism "if we can't stand the heat...."

I guess it's too bad it's like that, but with all things considered it 
beats any other job I know of. 

Mike Gochfeld


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