“The review comes back with comments to the editor and the author,” says Dr. Hannan. “Notes to the editor focus on issues the reviewer thinks the editor should look at in more depth, such as conflict of interest or things that need to be vetted further with additional experts. The notes to authors are to clear up ambiguities or add more depth to the article.”
After the questions from the reviewers and editors have been addressed, the final decision on publication rests with the editor in chief.
Quality Control after Publication
Quality control for the journals does not end with publication. Although a rare occurrence, concerns do sometimes surface.
“There is an online presence that uses software to scan the medical literature for text/figure inconsistencies and plagiarism,” notes Dr. Bucala. “A&R has had feedback from them a handful of times over the past couple of years. Problems have centered on inadvertent errors, such as flipping one figure for another, and have been addressed by erratum notices. We have found no indications of fraud.”
The readers play their important part. In some cases, the authors are contacted and the reader’s questions or concerns are addressed directly. For others, both publications welcome letters to the editor to air issues and allow the authors a chance to respond to concerns in an open forum.
The ACR also has an active Committee on Journal Publications. The committee not only serves in an oversight capacity, but members are a resource for additional insights as needed.
“These publications basically provide the validation and weight of the ACR on the published content,” says Dr. Bucala. “Authors and readers know there is a high standard of review by their peers and a board comprising worldwide experts. To have the [ACR’s] stamp of approval is critical—and contributes to the value of both A&R and AC&R to our members and readers.”
Kurt Ullman is a freelance writer based in Indiana.
References
- Wager E, Williams P. Why and how do journals retract articles? An analysis of Medline retractions 1988–2008. J Med Ethics. 2011 Sep;37(9):567–570.
- Eastell R, Hamilton CJ, Cumming SR. Notice of retraction: Jamal SA, et al. Effect of nitroglycerin ointment on bone density and strength in menopausal women: A randomized trial. JAMA. 2011;305:800–807. JAMA. 2016 Jan 26;315(4):418–419. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.18431.
