Disconnecting the evaluation of scientific results from their diffusion

Abstract

The traditional way to communicate research results by publishing scientific journal articles addresses two main purposes: the evaluation of scientific information and its diffusion to the scientific community. These two key features can now be addressed separately. Indeed, preprint servers now allow rapid and free diffusion in open access. The recent development of portable peer-review services for preprints addresses the need for the evaluation of scientific results. The Peer Community In <http://www.peercommunityin.org> (PCI) initiative was created in 2017 as an alternative to the costly and somewhat opaque traditional publishing system. Its aim is to create communities of researchers evaluating and recommending preprints for free. Following the launch of Peer Community in Ecology <https://ecology.peercommunityin.org/> , Peer Community in Evolutionary Biology <https://evolbiol.peercommunityin.org/> , 15 thematic PCIs <https://peercommunityin.org/current-pcis/> have already been created. Once they have deposited their preprint in a preprint server or in an open repository, authors can submit it to one of these thematic PCIs. One of the many recommenders (the equivalent of associate editors in traditional journals) can decide to organize its peer-reviewed evaluation. If the preprint is accepted, the corresponding PCI publishes a recommendation text and the peer-review history (reviews, decisions, and author responses). The PCI-recommended preprint has the same value as any journal article, but it can still be further published in a journal including Peer Community Journal if the authors wish to do so. Deeply rooted in the open science context, PCI advocates for transparency of the peer-review process and decisions, and for the independence and reproducibility of scientific evaluation. As a non-profit organisation entirely funded by universities, institutions and libraries, PCI offers authors the possibility to publish their articles free of charge in open access. Because the different communities are created and managed only by scientists for scientists, PCI gives researchers back control over the scientific publication process.