henryJul 28, 2023
Roey Angel

Why does manuscript submission in 2023 still feel like 1983??

I just submitted a ms to @ISMEmicrobes @springernature only to get a reply two days later that they insist that the figures will not be part of the text.

I don't know a single reviewer who prefers flipping pages back and forth while reading a ms.

All this stems from the time scientists would use a typewriter for the text and a mm paper for the figures. Why are we putting up with this?? 😠

#rant #peer_review #scicomm

Jul 28, 2023 at 9:08amWeb
Show threadRoey AngelJul 28, 2023
@ISMEmicrobes
And don't even get me started about the rest of the process. Like, do I really have to copy-paste the abstract and author names? You don't have a script to extract it from the document?!?!
@springernature
Show threadFrank AylwardJul 28, 2023
@RoeyAngel @ISMEmicrobes @springernature I'm a fan of format-neutral initial submissions (or even transfers from biorxiv). Details can be worked out later if accepted.
Show threadRoey AngelJul 28, 2023
@foaylward
Same, but they won't allow it.
@ISMEmicrobes @springernature
Show threadnaturepokerJul 28, 2023
@RoeyAngel @ISMEmicrobes @springernature the idea that scientists even need to sit down and worry about margin spacing in the age of reactive UI is just mind boggling to me.
Show threadStan SchymanskiJul 31, 2023
@RoeyAngel @ISMEmicrobes I've been wondering whether making the format of the initial submission hard to read is a way to make readers pay for the subscription version of an article, rather than using a self-archived postprint. I refuse to review articles where figures are separated from the text, or even worse, from the figure captions! Since we review for free, this is where we have leverage to improve processes. #peer_review #academicchatter