Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
The exponential increase in the number of submissions, further accelerated by generative AI, and the decline in the availability of experts are burdening the peer review process. This has led to high unethical desk rejection rates, a growing appeal for the publication of unreviewed preprints, and a...
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F1000 Research Ltd
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://f1000research.com/articles/13-439/v4 |
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| author | Mohamed L. Seghier |
| author_facet | Mohamed L. Seghier |
| author_sort | Mohamed L. Seghier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The exponential increase in the number of submissions, further accelerated by generative AI, and the decline in the availability of experts are burdening the peer review process. This has led to high unethical desk rejection rates, a growing appeal for the publication of unreviewed preprints, and a worrying proliferation of predatory journals. The idea of monetarily compensating scientific peer reviewers has been around for many years; maybe, it is time to take it seriously as one way to save the peer review process. Here, I argue that paying reviewers, when done in a fair and transparent way, is a viable solution. Like the case of professional language editors, part-time or full-time professional reviewers, managed by universities or for-profit companies, can be an integral part of modern peer review. Being a professional reviewer could be financially attractive to retired senior researchers and to researchers who enjoy evaluating papers but are not motivated to do so for free. Moreover, not all produced research needs to go through peer review, and thus persuading researchers to limit submissions to their most novel and useful research could also help bring submission volumes to manageable levels. This paper also reckons that the problem is not the peer review process per se but rather its function within an academic ecosystem dominated by an unhealthy and unsustainable culture of ‘publish or perish’. Instead of reforming the peer review process, academia has to look for better science dissemination schemes that promote collaboration over competition, engagement over judgement, and research quality and sustainability over quantity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d43750be8051462a93b2e797e8eedfb3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2046-1402 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | F1000Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d43750be8051462a93b2e797e8eedfb32025-08-20T02:20:40ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022025-06-011310.12688/f1000research.148985.4183781Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations]Mohamed L. Seghier0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1146-8800Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesThe exponential increase in the number of submissions, further accelerated by generative AI, and the decline in the availability of experts are burdening the peer review process. This has led to high unethical desk rejection rates, a growing appeal for the publication of unreviewed preprints, and a worrying proliferation of predatory journals. The idea of monetarily compensating scientific peer reviewers has been around for many years; maybe, it is time to take it seriously as one way to save the peer review process. Here, I argue that paying reviewers, when done in a fair and transparent way, is a viable solution. Like the case of professional language editors, part-time or full-time professional reviewers, managed by universities or for-profit companies, can be an integral part of modern peer review. Being a professional reviewer could be financially attractive to retired senior researchers and to researchers who enjoy evaluating papers but are not motivated to do so for free. Moreover, not all produced research needs to go through peer review, and thus persuading researchers to limit submissions to their most novel and useful research could also help bring submission volumes to manageable levels. This paper also reckons that the problem is not the peer review process per se but rather its function within an academic ecosystem dominated by an unhealthy and unsustainable culture of ‘publish or perish’. Instead of reforming the peer review process, academia has to look for better science dissemination schemes that promote collaboration over competition, engagement over judgement, and research quality and sustainability over quantity.https://f1000research.com/articles/13-439/v4peer review research disseminations referees publishers scholarly communication awards and incentiveseng |
| spellingShingle | Mohamed L. Seghier Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations] F1000Research peer review research disseminations referees publishers scholarly communication awards and incentives eng |
| title | Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_full | Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_fullStr | Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_full_unstemmed | Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_short | Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process [version 4; peer review: 4 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_sort | paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer review process version 4 peer review 4 approved 2 approved with reservations |
| topic | peer review research disseminations referees publishers scholarly communication awards and incentives eng |
| url | https://f1000research.com/articles/13-439/v4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohamedlseghier payingreviewersandregulatingthenumberofpapersmayhelpfixthepeerreviewprocessversion4peerreview4approved2approvedwithreservations |