Peer review in journals indexed in Index Medicus

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether peer review policies are published in English-language journals indexed in Index Medicus and, secondarily, to obtain information on the peer review practices of such journals.

Design: Examined one issue of a sample of all journal titles written in English and indexed in Index Medicus, and all indexed English-language journals in four subject fields. A questionnaire was sent to the editors of journals in the subject fields requesting information on their peer review practices.

Setting: Journals received at the National Library of Medicine.

Participants: Editors of journals in four subject fields.

Main outcome measure: Existence of a printed statement of the peer review process for manuscripts.

Results: Although the editors queried in the four subject fields indicated that overall, 56% to 65% of the articles were peer reviewed, clear statements about their peer review practices were not found in half of their journals or in the overall sample.

Conclusions: Editors should publish clear statements of the peer review process followed for each type of article published in their journals.