Journal reviews & publication

[Tuan V Nguyen <t.nguyen@garvan.unsw.edu.au>]

Hello DQ and folks,

>
> Dear Anh Tuan, AiViet, Zung et. al.:
> 
> I think the publication is depended  on the judgments of  the 
>reviewers, therefore a paper can be rejected from one journal but 
>accepted by the other journal .

	Not always. The reviewers' comments are taken into 
account in the decision for publication, but the editor 
always has the final word. I have several experience where 
three reviewers, each gives different opinions, for 
example, one is for; one is against; and still one is 
neutral, then the editor will have the final say. These 
days, editors are very powerful; they can refuse to publish 
a paper, even if reviewers have high regard for it. Still, 
there are journals which do not have peer review process, 
and the editor(s) is/are the king in these cases. This sort 
of things happen all the time. 

	Publication is a "fighting" business nowadays. 
Sometimes, you have to pick up the phone and ring the 
editors and complain about poor treatment (if you believe 
so). One of my colleagues here remarks that publication can 
be a random event. Indeed, I remember years ago, a paper 
was refused for publication in a curious, mickey-mouse 
journal, but it finally landed in Nature!!!


	Tuan