Managing the Growth of Peer Review at the Royal Society Journals, 1865-1965

This article examines the evolution of peer review and the modern editorial processes of scholarly journals by analyzing a novel data set derived from the Royal Society’s archives and covering 1865-1965, that is, the historical period in which refereeing (not yet known as peer review) became firmly established. Our analysis reveals how the Royal Society’s editorial processes coped with both an increasing reliance on refereeing and a growth in submissions, while maintaining collective responsibility and minimizing research waste. By engaging more of its fellows in editorial activity, the society was able to establish an equilibrium of number of submissions per reviewer that was relatively stable over time. Nevertheless, our analysis shows that the distribution of editorial work was significantly uneven. Our findings reveal interesting parallels with current concerns about the scale and distribution of peer review work and suggest the strategic importance of the management of the editorial process to achieve a creative mix of community commitment and professional responsibility that is essential in contemporary journals.

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Back in Time for Breakfast: An Analysis of the Changing Breakfast Cereal Aisle

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020489 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 489

Author(s):

Emilie Croisier ◽

Jaimee Hughes ◽

Stephanie Duncombe ◽

Sara Grafenauer

Keyword(s):

Dietary Fibre ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Health Claims ◽

Whole Grain ◽

Breakfast Cereal ◽

Full Data ◽

Data Set ◽

Time Points ◽

Total Fat ◽

Over Time

Breakfast cereal improves overall diet quality yet is under constant scrutiny with assertions that the category has not improved over time. This study aimed to comprehensively analyse the category of breakfast cereals, the nutritional values, and health claims across eight distinct sub-categories at four time points (2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020). An audit of products from four major supermarkets in metropolitan Sydney (Aldi, Coles, IGA, and Woolworths) collected ingredient lists, nutrition information, claims and Health Star Rating (HSR) for biscuits and bites; brans; bubbles, puffs, and flakes; granola and clusters; hot cereal flavoured; hot cereal plain; muesli; breakfast biscuits. The median (IQR) were calculated for energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, dietary fibre, and sodium for comparisons over time points by nutrient. Data from 2013 was compared with 2020 (by sub-category and then for a sub-section of common products available at each time point). Product numbers between 2013 (n = 283) and 2020 (n = 543) almost doubled, led by granola and clusters. Whole grain cereals ≥ 8 g/serve made up 67% of products (↑114%). While there were positive changes in nutrient composition over time within the full data set, the most notable changes were in the nutrition composition of cereals marketed as the same product in both years (n = 134); with decreases in mean carbohydrate (2%), sugar (10%) and sodium (16%) (p < 0.000), while protein and total fat increased significantly (p = 0.036; p = 0.021). Claims regarding Dietary Fibre and Whole Grain doubled since 2013. Analysis of sub-categories of breakfast cereal assisted in identifying some changes over time, but products common to both timeframes provided a clearer analysis of change within the breakfast category, following introduction of HSR. Whole grain products were lower in the two target nutrients, sodium and sugars, and well-chosen products represent a better choice within this category.

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Peer review and gender bias: A study on 145 scholarly journals

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.abd0299 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. eabd0299

Author(s):

Flaminio Squazzoni ◽

Giangiacomo Bravo ◽

Mike Farjam ◽

Ana Marusic ◽

Bahar Mehmani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Peer Review ◽

Gender Bias ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Gender Diversity ◽

Scholarly Journals ◽

Publication Rates ◽

And Gender ◽

Editorial Decisions ◽

Selection Of

Scholarly journals are often blamed for a gender gap in publication rates, but it is unclear whether peer review and editorial processes contribute to it. This article examines gender bias in peer review with data for 145 journals in various fields of research, including about 1.7 million authors and 740,000 referees. We reconstructed three possible sources of bias, i.e., the editorial selection of referees, referee recommendations, and editorial decisions, and examined all their possible relationships. Results showed that manuscripts written by women as solo authors or coauthored by women were treated even more favorably by referees and editors. Although there were some differences between fields of research, our findings suggest that peer review and editorial processes do not penalize manuscripts by women. However, increasing gender diversity in editorial teams and referee pools could help journals inform potential authors about their attention to these factors and so stimulate participation by women.

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Investigating the Broken-Heart Effect: a Model for Short-Term Dependence between the Remaining Lifetimes of Joint Lives

Annals of Actuarial Science ◽

10.1017/s1748499512000292 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 236-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jaap Spreeuw ◽

Iqbal Owadally

Keyword(s):

Mortality Rates ◽

Short Term ◽

Numerical Work ◽

Data Set ◽

Multiple State ◽

Multiple State Model ◽

Insurance Data ◽

Over Time ◽

Assurance Contracts

AbstractWe analyze the mortality of couples by fitting a multiple state model to a large insurance data set. We find evidence that mortality rates increase after the death of a partner and, in addition, that this phenomenon diminishes over time. This is popularly known as a “broken-heart” effect and we find that it affects widowers more than widows. Remaining lifetimes of joint lives therefore exhibit short-term dependence. We carry out numerical work involving the pricing and valuation of typical contingent assurance contracts and of a joint life and survivor annuity. If insurers ignore dependence, or mis-specify it as long-term dependence, then significant mis-pricing and inappropriate provisioning can result. Detailed numerical results are presented.

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Faculty Publishing Productivity: Comparisons over Time

College & Research Libraries ◽

10.5860/crl.67.3.230 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 67 (3) ◽

pp. 230-239 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

John M. Budd

Keyword(s):

Academic Librarians ◽

Tenure Track ◽

Data Set ◽

Part Time Faculty ◽

Time Period ◽

Rate Of Increase ◽

Part Time ◽

Per Capita ◽

Time Faculty ◽

Over Time

Concerns about higher education abound, and these include concerns about productivity. The present study extends two previous examinations of faculty publishing productivity covering the years 1991 to 1993 and 1995 to 1997. Both members of ARL and a group of institutions included in ACRL’s data set are included. For both groups there are some increases in mean total numbers of publications, although the rate of increase has decreased since the second time period. Per capita rates of publication demonstrate an even flatter pattern. In recent years, there have been some changes in the dynamics of universities’ faculties; there are more part-time faculty and more faculty who are not on the tenure track. These factors, coupled with the publishing data, point to activities that all academic librarians should be aware of.

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Disparities Across Time: Exploring Absenteeism Patterns between Cohorts of Students with Disabilities

Teachers College Record ◽

10.1177/016146812012201114 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 122 (11) ◽

pp. 1-32

Author(s):

Michael A. Gottfried ◽

Vi-Nhuan Le ◽

J. Jacob Kirksey

Keyword(s):

Students With Disabilities ◽

Social Needs ◽

Data Sets ◽

Chronic Absenteeism ◽

Data Set ◽

Full Day Kindergarten ◽

Effective Interventions ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Single Data ◽

Over Time

Background It is of grave concern that kindergartners are missing more school than students in any other year of elementary school; therefore, documenting which students are absent and for how long is of upmost importance. Yet, doing so for students with disabilities (SWDs) has received little attention. This study addresses this gap by examining two cohorts of SWDs, separated by more than a decade, to document changes in attendance patterns. Research Questions First, for SWDs, has the number of school days missed or chronic absenteeism rates changed over time? Second, how are changes in the number of school days missed and chronic absenteeism rates related to changes in academic emphasis, presence of teacher aides, SWD-specific teacher training, and preschool participation? Subjects This study uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS), a nationally representative data set of children in kindergarten. We rely on both ECLS data sets— the kindergarten classes of 1998–1999 and 2010–2011. Measures were identical in both data sets, making it feasible to compare children across the two cohorts. Given identical measures, we combined the data sets into a single data set with an indicator for being in the older cohort. Research Design This study examined two sets of outcomes: The first was number of days absent, and the second was likelihood of being chronically absent. These outcomes were regressed on a measure for being in the older cohort (our key measure for changes over time) and numerous control variables. The error term was clustered by classroom. Findings We found that SWDs are absent more often now than they were a decade earlier, and this growth in absenteeism was larger than what students without disabilities experienced. Absenteeism among SWDs was higher for those enrolled in full-day kindergarten, although having attended center-based care mitigates this disparity over time. Implications are discussed. Conclusions Our study calls for additional attention and supports to combat the increasing rates of absenteeism for SWDs over time. Understanding contextual shifts and trends in rates of absenteeism for SWDs in kindergarten is pertinent to crafting effective interventions and research geared toward supporting the academic and social needs of these students.

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Male and Female Partner-Caregivers’ Burden: Does It Get Worse Over Time?

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gny132 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 1103-1111 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Joukje C Swinkels ◽

Marjolein I Broese van Groenou ◽

Alice de Boer ◽

Theo G van Tilburg

Keyword(s):

Caregiver Burden ◽

Process Model ◽

Female Partner ◽

General View ◽

Data Set ◽

Change Over Time ◽

Men And Women ◽

Wear And Tear ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background and Objectives The general view is that partner-caregiver burden increases over time but findings are inconsistent. Moreover, the pathways underlying caregiver burden may differ between men and women. This study examines to what degree and why partner-caregiver burden changes over time. It adopts Pearlin’s Caregiver Stress Process Model, as it is expected that higher primary and secondary stressors will increase burden and larger amounts of resources will lower burden. Yet, the impact of stressors and resources may change over time. The wear-and-tear model predicts an increase of burden due to a stronger impact of stressors and lower impact of resources over time. Alternatively, the adaptation model predicts a decrease of burden due to a lower impact of stressors and higher impact of resources over time. Research Design and Methods We used 2 observations with a 1-year interval of 279 male and 443 female partner-caregivers, derived from the Netherlands Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Survey Minimum Data Set. We applied multilevel regression analysis, stratified by gender. Results Adjusted for all predictors, caregiver burden increased over time for both men and women. For female caregivers, the impact of poor spousal health on burden increased and the impact of fulfillment decreased over time. Among male caregivers, the impact of predictors did not change over time. Discussion and Implications The increase of burden over time supports the wear-and-tear model, in particular for women. This study highlights the need for gender-specific interventions that are focused on enabling older partners to be better prepared for long-term partner-care.

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“Science. Not Just For Scientists. A Historiographical Analysis of the Changing Interpretations of the Scientific Revolution”

Constellations ◽

10.29173/cons19671 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Aaron Gasparik

Keyword(s):

Social Relationships ◽

Scientific Revolution ◽

Economic Impacts ◽

The Self ◽

Historical Period ◽

New Developments ◽

Modern Thought ◽

Historical Investigation ◽

Over Time ◽

Theoretical Developments

Traditionally, the Scientific Revolution has been portrayed as an era in history when new developments in fields of ‘scientific’ thought eclipsed the long-held notions presented by religion and philosophy. Historical interpretations subscribing to this view have often presented the Scientific Revolution as a time when significant changes occurred in the way societies understood their world. These historical analyses have focused on a limited suite of ideas – the iconic figures of the Scientific Revolution, the intellectual, methodological and theoretical developments of the era and the shift away from antiquated worldviews. Owing to the decidedly intellectual foci of these investigations, the Scientific Revolution, and the influential figures therein, are depicted as the impetus for modern thought and society as we know it today. However, in recent decades, historical studies of the Scientific Revolution have shifted away from investigations emphasizing the supposedly progressive nature of the era and have chosen to observe aspects of the historical period that are significantly more cultural in tone. For instance, aspects such as the economic impacts of intellectual developments, the self-fashioning practiced by figures during the period and the importance of cultivating various social relationships are observed in order to provide a richer, more socially contextualized presentation of the Scientific Revolution. This paper will compare two modes of historical investigation – Intellectual and Cultural Historical, examine the changes that have occurred in historical interpretations of the Scientific Revolution and illustrate the motivations that have guided these two distinct approaches to history. This historiographical analysis will show how portrayals of the Scientific Revolution have changed over time and developed from something decidedly intellectual in focus, into a much more nuanced, culturally focused form of scholarship.

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