Reviewing Process for Scientific Journals

Reviewing process steps:

1. Article to selected reviewers;
2. Reviewers criticize/suggest;
3. Editor reinforces "2" to authors;
4. Revision/review cycle(s);
5. Accepted paper sent to publisher;
6. Delays: copy-editing, galley proofs.

Journal selection criteria:

Authors select journal for impact publication will have on their
   scientific reputation for
     academic promotion and
     grant-application success.

Publication speed can be a factor.

Editors select reviewers for:

1. scientific expertise,
2. past performance,
3. open-mindedness, and
4. timely response in unrewarded anonymity.

Source: Floyd E Bloom, "Human Reviewers: the Achilles Heel of Scientific Journals in the Digital Age," Science 283, 789 (1999).