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Smith OM, Davis KL, Pizza RB, Waterman R, Dobson KC, Foster B, Jarvey JC, Jones LN, Leuenberger W, Nourn N, Conway EE, Fiser CM, Hansen ZA, Hristova A, Mack C, Saunders AN, Utley OJ, Young ML, Davis CL. Peer review perpetuates barriers for historically excluded groups. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:512-523. [PMID: 36914773 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-01999-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Peer review is central to the scientific process and scientists' career advancement, but bias at various stages of the review process disadvantages some authors. Here we use peer review data from 312,740 biological sciences manuscripts across 31 studies to (1) examine evidence for differential peer review outcomes based on author demographics, (2) evaluate the efficacy of solutions to reduce bias and (3) describe the current landscape of peer review policies for 541 ecology and evolution journals. We found notably worse review outcomes (for example, lower overall acceptance rates) for authors whose institutional affiliations were in Asia, for authors whose country's primary language is not English and in countries with relatively low Human Development Indices. We found few data evaluating efficacy of interventions outside of reducing gender bias through double-blind review or diversifying reviewer/editorial boards. Despite evidence for review outcome gaps based on author demographics, few journals currently implement policies intended to mitigate bias (for example, 15.9% of journals practised double-blind review and 2.03% had reviewer guidelines that mentioned social justice issues). The lack of demographic equity signals an urgent need to better understand and implement evidence-based bias mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M Smith
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Kayla L Davis
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Riley B Pizza
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Robin Waterman
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kara C Dobson
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Brianna Foster
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Julie C Jarvey
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Leonard N Jones
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Wendy Leuenberger
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Nan Nourn
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Emily E Conway
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cynthia M Fiser
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Zoe A Hansen
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Ani Hristova
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Caitlin Mack
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Alyssa N Saunders
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Olivia J Utley
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Moriah L Young
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Courtney L Davis
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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