Meike Fienitz
As a social scientist, I keep getting #review invites from one of the most prestigious journals in my field for papers from the natural sciences, i.e. concerning the content of some chemical etc. Anyone who has looked at even a single one of my publications, or my profile on any website, or my CV would know immediately there is no way I can review these papers. So what does this tell about the quality of the #reviewprocess? 🤔
Has anyone else experienced something like this?
@academicchatter
Nov 24, 2023 at 9:36amWeb
Show threadMeike FienitzNov 24, 2023

@academicchatter

Worse, I have contacted the journal several times via e-mail and through their online system to let them know this is not at all my field of research and that I will be happy to review papers in my field. But I keep getting several such natural science requests per month. It's starting to feel quite like spam. I have considered ignoring them, but that would be unfair to the authors who deserve a timely peer review.

Show threadDavid GregoryNov 24, 2023

@mfi @academicchatter

Do people think it would be appropriate to write to the authors and suggest they submit to a better journal? The fact that the journal is at least trying to organize some sort of peer review says it is not totally predatory, but if I were in the authors' shoes, I might not want to risk my reputation and publication fees on such an outfit.

Show threadMeike FienitzNov 24, 2023
@David_Gregory @academicchatter
It's double blind peer review. But also, it's one of the most prestigious journals in my field. This is what shocks me. I wouldn't be surprised about this kind of practice in a predatory journal but at this level?
Show threadRebecca HedreenNov 25, 2023
@mfi @David_Gregory @academicchatter Some journals have reported pressure from the publisher companies to increase publication. That could result in trying to expand the scope of the journal, which would need more reviewers outside of the previous expertise range.
Show threadJakob HaugNov 25, 2023
@mfi @academicchatter absolutely, not so far of, but within the general topic out of my scope. I mentioned this several times, clarified my entry in their reviewer database, but get still review requests for unsuitable papers/ articles.