Ask the editor at Nature Network
Corie Lok, Editor of Nature Network, announces a Nature Network-hosted Q&A session with Nature editors. She, as well as some Nature and Nature journal editors (including me) have formed a Nature Network "ask the editor" group, which you are welcome to join (by clicking on this link). At the forum, Corie explains: "Hosted by the editors of Nature Network, this group/forum is for scientists who want to learn more about scientific publishing straight from the editors of Nature and the other Nature journals. Join the group and post your questions in the forum. We’ll do our best to get the right editor to answer them here."
One topic in the forum is, naturally, peer-review. Paul Wicks asks: "Do your peer-reviewers get trained? Should they? I’m conscious of the fact I receive some reviews which I perceive to be unfair because they’ve gone to a non-expert in the field. No doubt some people feel the same way about reviews I write too! Whilst there are pages and pages of guidelines for authors I don’t feel there is much guidance out there for reviewers, and as a reviewer it’s rare to get feedback on my review other than to see what the other reviewer has said."
Go to the peer-review forum to read the answer from Linda Miller, US Executive Editor of Nature and the Nature journals. And please do ask your own questions: we look forward to hearing from you and will be delighted to help.
By the way, the Nature journals' policies, advice and information about peer-review is on our author and reviewers' website.
Comments
Dear Editor,
I had one article rejected with only one reviewer and the editor did not want to contact a second reviewer.
I know who was the reviewer and also why he rejected my paper, since he became now the new supervisor of my old PhD student.
What should one do in these cases, please?
From my personal experience I think it is very unfair the reviewer has the license to insult persons on the bases on his "official" animosity.
Maxine responds: we cannot provide advice about specific papers or journals that aren't Nature journals, but in general, if an author is dissatisfied with the peer-review process, he or she can write to the journal to explain the (scientific) reasons why. The journal should have a complaints procedure described on its website which you can follow. If not, write to the editor in chief or to the editorial board, which will be named in the journal.
I have reposted your question at the Nature Network "Ask the Editor" forum, so please visit there for further discussion, at http://network.nature.com/forums/askthenatureeditor/1745
Posted by: Alberto Talamo | June 4, 2008 06:59 PM
Thank you for the advice.
In my previous email I meant anonymousity.
What should I do if somebody else publishes my rejected article in the journal which rejected my article, please? I have evidence of conflict of interest of the reviewer but he is officially anonymous.
Best Regards,
Alberto Talamo.
Posted by: Alberto Talamo | July 1, 2008 08:01 PM