Academic publishing: A Faustian Bargain?

Abstract

This paper documents and shares our experience of navigating the journal-review process. By providing a personal account we aim to provide a piece that will resonate with those who have had similar experiences. We adopted a case-study approach using the reviews of the manuscript by two anonymous reviewers and the authors' responses. The paper confirms the emotive nature of the manuscript-review process and details some of the vagaries associated with the review process, highlighting our frustrations with it. An extensive literature critiquing the manuscript peer-review process exists. This is understandable given the requirement for academics to publish their research findings in peer-reviewed journals. In view of this extensive literature, what is surprising is the dearth of studies detailing how authors have managed to navigate their way through the process.