‘Studios’ help researchers boost odds of publication
A new service at Vanderbilt Medical Center can help basic science researchers increase their chances of publication in Science, Nature, Cell, PLoS Biology or other high-profile journals by better anticipating reviewers' requests.
The Vanderbilt Center for Science Communication (VCSC), directed by Vivian Siegel, Ph.D., and sponsored by the Department of Medicine, coordinates manuscript studios — pre-submission peer review by a panel of Vanderbilt experts chosen by the paper's principal investigator.
The studio sessions are moderated by Siegel, former chief editor of Cell and founding editor of PLoS Biology.
Vivian Siegel, Ph.D.
“I came to Vanderbilt to leverage my experience as an editor to help Vanderbilt scientists publish well, and am excited to offer this service to basic researchers across the Medical Center,” Siegel said.
Panelists provide written feedback on data (type and quality of experiments), interpretation and framing. They also meet with the authors and collaborators to discuss their criticisms and suggestions, and to develop a strategy to increase the chances of the paper's publication in a high-impact journal.
Authors should expect honest, direct criticism and open discussion, as well as ideas on how to complete the study or build on results, which may involve additional experiments.
The PI also receives a written summary of all of the panelists' comments on which to base his or her revisions, and follow-up assistance with the final draft and cover letter from Siegel. In order to improve the studio process and chances of publication, the VCSC tracks papers through review and decision.
Researchers interested in organizing studios for their manuscripts should submit a full draft, intended date of publication, possible concerns about the paper, and a list of six to eight potential advisers to manuscript.studio@vanderbilt.edu. For more information, go to http://medicine.mc.vanderbilt.edu/sciencecommunication.