Speeding up the Review Process Towards the Final Decision: an Ethical Pathway

Abstract

In the almost dictatorial academic scenario of “publish or perish”, the time elapsed between submission and final decision has become one of the biggest concerns of authors and their institutions. Although expectations about a new submission are usually high, publication of peer-reviewed articles demands its own time, so that only those which really bring new contributions to the subject area are selected. In fact, this selection is part of an ethical responsibility assumed by everyone involved in scientific publishing, including authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers.