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Behind the shroud: a survey of editors in ecology and evolution
Author(s) -
Grod Olya,
Lortie Christopher J,
Budden Amber E
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
frontiers in ecology and the environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.918
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1540-9309
pISSN - 1540-9295
DOI - 10.1890/090048
Subject(s) - seniority , population ecology , ecology , transparency (behavior) , population , geography , sociology , biology , demography , political science , law
An online survey of ecology and evolution editors was conducted to assess the characteristics of journal editors and describe manuscript‐handling practices. A total of 450 respondents – representing 155 ecology and evolution journals – participated. The following patterns were detected: (1) there are more male than female editors; (2) the greater the number of manuscripts handled per year by editors, the lower the proportion are rejected without review; and (3) previous review time, scientific status, and seniority of reviewers are factors that editors consider when selecting a reviewer. This research highlights the potential importance of editor characteristics in the peer‐review process; we suggest that increased transparency promotes both recognition of the editor population and more equitable reviewing practices.