title: The evolution of peer review as a basis for scientific publication: directional selection towards a robust discipline?
abstract: Peer review is pivotal to science and academia, as it represents a widely accepted strategy for ensuring quality control in scientific research. Yet, the peer-review system is poorly adapted to recent changes in the discipline and current societal needs. We provide historical context for the cultural lag that governs peer review that has eventually led to the system's current structural weaknesses (voluntary review, unstandardized review criteria, decentralized process). We argue that some current attempts to upgrade or otherwise modify the peer-review system are merely sticking-plaster solutions to these fundamental flaws, and therefore are unlikely to resolve them in the long term. We claim that for peer review to be relevant, effective, and contemporary with today's publishing demands across scientific disciplines, its main components need to be redesigned. We propose directional changes that are likely to improve the quality, rigour, and timeliness of peer review, and thereby ensure that this critical process serves the community it was created for.
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.|CIBIO, InBIO - Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.|Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors: Catarina
authors: C
authors: Ferreira
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Guillaume
authors: G
authors: Bastille-Rousseau
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Amanda M
authors: AM
authors: Bennett
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: E Hance
authors: EH
authors: Ellington
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Terwissen
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Cayla
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authors: Austin
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Borlestean
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Melanie R
authors: MR
authors: Boudreau
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Chan
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Forsythe
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Thomas J
authors: TJ
authors: Hossie
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Kristen
authors: K
authors: Landolt
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Longhi
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Josée-Anne
authors: JA
authors: Otis
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Michael J L
authors: MJ
authors: Peers
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Jason
authors: J
authors: Rae
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Jacob
authors: J
authors: Seguin
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Cristen
authors: C
authors: Watt
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Morgan
authors: M
authors: Wehtje
authors: Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, K9J 7B8, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Dennis L
authors: DL
authors: Murray
mesh_terms: D010380:Peer Review / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends*; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards*; D012586:Science / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends*
keywords: critique; long-term solutions; maladaptation; peer review; structural flaws