UNQUESTIONABLE NEED FOR PEER-REVIEWING

1. Visibility of major papers

2. Improvement of manuscript content

3. Identification of excellence

Colloque de l’Académie des sciences "Évolution des publications scientifiques - Le regard des chercheurs" des 14-15 mai 2007

PROBLEMS LINKED TO REVIEWERS

1. Conservatism: fashion versus novelty

2. Priority given to technology

3. Duration of reviewing

4. Conflict of interest with authors

PROBLEMS LINKED TO PUBLISHERS

1. Search for “scoops”

2. Are editors in chief always competent?

PROBLEMS LINKED TO AUTHORS

1. Confusion between quality of a manuscript and impact factor of the journal

2. Excessive importance of impact factor

for grants and career

3. Risk of transforming scientists into “professionals” of publication

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

1. Change in the editorial policy of major journals

2. Open peer-reviewing

3. Open archives preceding publication