We have launched a Platform for Responsible Editorial Policies (www.responsiblejournals.org). This facilitates transparent review and research into peer-review procedures, thereby contributing to open science and optimal journal management (see P. Wouters et al. Nature 569, 621–623 (2019) and F. Squazzoni et al. Nature 578, 512–514; 2020).
Funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, and created with the Leiden Centre for Science and Technology Studies, the platform currently hosts a database of 387 journals. It evaluates these journals’ peer-review procedures according to 12 criteria, including: the level of anonymity afforded to authors and reviewers; the use of digital tools such as plagiarism scanners; and the timing of peer review in the research and publication process (see S. P. J. M. Horbach and W. Halffman Scientometrics 118, 339–373; 2019). The platform displays the procedures used by each journal, along with aggregate statistics on the various editorial practices.
We invite journal editors to provide such information for inclusion in the database. In response, we offer tailored suggestions for improvement, information on alternative review procedures and suggestions on fair use of journal metrics for evaluation. The platform makes data on peer review freely available for further research.
