In short, 3 months. From reviewing academic forums (see here, here, and here), the general consensus among researchers appears to be 3 months (but see here and here). It is not clear where this figure came from. It may be related to the typical wait times researchers have become accustomed to. An analysis of ~3 […]
Affect or effect?
The basics ‘Affect’ is a verb. It means to influence something, e.g. Diet affects a person’s risk of cancer. Diet actively influences a person’s risk of cancer. ‘Effect’ is a noun. It means an outcome, i.e., the result of an action: An effect of global warming is poorer air quality. We are describing the result […]
Can I cite a preprint?
Preprints are drafts of academic articles that have not been formally published, i.e., they have not been peer reviewed. Instead, they undergo a basic screening and are usually available on preprint servers within 48 hours of submission. Authors typically upload their papers as preprints to date-stamp any new discoveries and to receive feedback before formally […]
How to use ‘respectively’ correctly
The adverb ‘respectively’ is often used incorrectly by non-native English speakers. In this short post, we discuss the correct way to use ‘respectively’, focusing on its use in scientific manuscripts. ‘Respectively’ means ‘separately and in the order already mentioned‘. It is used when describing two or more items that refer back to a previous statement. […]
My paper was rejected. What are my options?
Almost every scholar has had a paper rejected. Journal acceptance rates are typically low, ranging from 5% for higher impact journals (e.g., The Lancet) to 69% for “pay-to-publish” open access journals (e.g., PLoS ONE), whose criteria exclude the perceived importance of the paper. However, most rejected papers ultimately go on to be published [see 1 […]
