A transparent black box

Abstract

### Vital statistics: high speed and fewer laps to the finish line A unique feature of The EMBO Journal is that we publish data on the efficiency of the editorial process (find the latest analysis of manuscripts submitted in 2009 at http://www.nature.com/emboj/about/process.html). We accepted 12% of submitted manuscripts, 2% more than in the preceding year, with similar submission volumes. The journal is fast: editorial decisions were made, on average, in 2.3 days and post‐review decisions in 29 days . The majority of manuscripts went through only one major round of revision. Notably, we ensure that no new issues are raised that were not brought forward in the initial review (excluding points on data added in revision, of course). A total of 74% manuscripts were rejected before formal peer review, 21% of these with additional advice from the editorial advisory board. We have a relatively high ‘first cut’, so that only manuscripts that fit within the journal's scope, that present a sufficiently striking advance and that have a real chance of being published with realistic further revision continue to the more time‐intensive peer review process. As a result, 46% of the peer reviewed manuscripts end up being published. Remarkably, 97% of cases where a revision is invited are published. Thus, once a revision is invited, the odds for publication without delay are high. Are we selecting the right papers for publication? Our analysis of manuscripts rejected in 2008 shows that until now 1% appeared in journals with an impact factor two or more notches above this journal. 9% of the rejected manuscripts cite higher than the average EMBO Journal paper. ### Scooping protection Molecular cell biology is a rather competitive discipline. The next big open questions rarely occur to only one researcher. Technical and research advances, as well as funding priorities, encourage multiple laboratories to pursue similar directions. In contrast to other disciplines, experiments are quickly …