Citation

McClure RJ. Inj. Prev. 2018; 24(2): 105.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/injuryprev-2018-042768

PMID

29567805

Abstract

There is a small but growing literature discussing the validity and reliability of the peer review process.1 There has been substantial effort to address the specific selection bias (usually referred to as ‘ publication bias’) where decision to publish is based on the research results.2 However, there has been little discussion in the literature about perhaps the largest publication selection bias; editorial licence. The aim of this editorial is to make explicit the critical issues that underlie Injury Prevention ’s editorial selection process and invite the journal’s readers to provide further comment.

There were 250 original research articles submitted to Injury Prevention in 2017. Over that same 12-month period, 25% made their way successfully through all the many editorial filters to print. That is, 25% of only those injury prevention papers that were submitted to the journal and for which the journal’s editorial team had direct responsibility. Right from the point of choosing their research questions, authors themselves make a series of editorial decisions about what to research, what manuscripts to write …

Keywords: Publication bias

Language: en