To address problems with the peer-review process, many journals have experimented with open_science_logodifferent types of peer-review models. Open peer review was adopted by several journals in order to encourage transparency in the process, and there are now a number of different ways in which this is implemented. By Axel Cleeremans (ULB), Chief Editor for Frontiers in Psychology, Louisa Flintoft, Executive Editor, BMC In-House Journals.

1. Experiences of Open Peer
Review at BMC
Dr Louisa Flintoft, Executive Editor
BMC Series and Flagship journals
22.10.2018
IllustrationinspiredbytheworkofChienShiungWu

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BMC: who we are
• Pioneers of Open Access publishing, since 1999
• Publish >250 journals across all fields of science, technology and medicine
• Innovation is a core value, including Open Peer Review

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What I will cover
1 What is Open Peer Review at BMC?
2 Benefits of Open Peer Review
3 Why aren’t all our journals Open Peer Review?
4 Transparent Peer Review as an alternative
5 Other peer review initiatives at BMC

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What is Open Peer Review at BMC?
If a paper is published, the peer review reports are also published
The reports are signed by the reviewer (with a few exceptions)
Even if the paper is not published, the authors can see who provided the reports
Authors’ responses to reviewers are also published
Open Peer Review is mandatory on our journals that operate this model

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What this looks like

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What this looks like

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What this looks like

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• 66 of our journals use this form of peer review as standard
• This includes all of the BMC Series journals in the areas of medicine and health
research
• And 22 other BMC journals in medicine, biomedicine, dentistry, education,
environmental science, life sciences and public health
Which BMC journals operate Open Peer Review?
• BMC Cancer
• BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
• BMC Health Services Research
• BMC Infectious Diseases
• BMC Medicine
• BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
• BMC Public Health
• Etc
The BMC Series medical and
health journals:
Other BMC journals,
including:

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Benefits of Open Peer Review
Transparency Quality
Recognition Education
Open peer
review

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Transparency. Readers can see:
Who provided the reviews
Exactly what the reports said
How the authors responded

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Quality of reports
Greater accountability of reviewers
More thorough reports
More constructive comments

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Recognition
Peer review takes time and effort
Open peer review allows recognition
for providing this service
Peers, institutes, funders can see the work

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Education
Constructive peer review is a skill
Junior researchers can learn from Open Peer Review
Also useful to see how authors respond to reviewers

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Why don’t all our journals use Open Peer Review?
Different communities have difference preferences
Reviewers worry about criticizing others in their field
More research is needed on the benefits of Open Peer Review

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Transparent peer review
• Transparent peer review: reports are published but signing is not
compulsory
• More suitable for some communities?

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Other innovative peer review approaches at BMC
• Visit https://www.biomedcentral.com/about/advancing-peer-
reviewEmail

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16
The story behind the image
Chien Shiung Wu (1912–1997)
Chien Shiung Wu was a Chinese American experimental
physicist best known for conducting The Wu experiment that
bears her name. This experiment showed that the conservation
of parity was violated by a weak interaction and it was possible
to distinguish between a mirrored variation of the world and
the mirror image of the current world. This discovery earned
Wu the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978.
Thank you
For further information:
https://www.biomedcentral.com/about
/advancing-peer-review