Why Can’t Academic Articles Be Submitted to Multiple Journals at the Same Time? Should Journals Compete as Well?

In the academic world, the practice of submitting academic articles to multiple journals simultaneously is often discouraged. This article delves into the reasons behind this norm, the impact of journal competition, and the potential solutions to the current publishing landscape.

The Inevitable Stranglehold of Journals

Imagine being a journal editor eager to attract interesting papers for your publication. Rather than waiting for submissions, you could proactively browse pre-print archives, identify exciting new papers, and reach out to the authors directly to submit them to your journal. This proactive approach is employed by a few journals, though not in a legitimate manner. Most reputable journals do not embrace this method. Instead, they exert a firm hold over academics, often demanding peer-reviewed publications as the sole metric for citations and career progression.

Peer-reviewed publications are heavily valued, especially in tenure and promotion decisions. Without these, academics may struggle to advance in their careers. However, the genuine value of these journals to the scientific process is often questioned. In essence, many journals have become extortion rackets, extracting value from academics through the citation scores they control.

The Risks of Multiple Submissions

Strictly speaking, academic articles can be submitted to multiple journals at the same time. However, this practice is frowned upon, and the risk is significant. If discovered, it can result in a desk rejection, as the limited pool of reviewers might inadvertently see the same manuscript submitted to multiple journals. The reviewer’s impartiality could be compromised, leading to a rejection or delay in the publication process.

Another risk is the potential overlap in peer reviewers. Young academics, driven by the need for publication to secure positions, sometimes roll the dice and submit their work to multiple journals. While this might increase their chances of acceptance, it also adds a tremendous burden on the reviewers and authors alike. The time commitment required for reviewing and publishing manuscripts is substantial, and the workload could be overwhelming if multiple submissions are in play.

The Case for Journal Competition

The idea of friendly competition among journals is compelling. It mirrors the market dynamics in other fields, where competition drives quality and innovation. However, the current academic landscape is heavily influenced by undervalued metrics, such as Impact Factors, which play a significant role in department evaluations. The impact of competition on the quality of peer review and the overall scientific process requires careful consideration.

Journal competition could potentially improve the quality of peer review and the timeliness of publication. However, the existing metrics, such as Impact Factors, may not accurately reflect these improvements. Impact Factors and similar metrics often do not capture the true value added by journals to the scientific community, leading to an unbalanced focus on quantity over quality.

Potential Solutions

To address the challenges of the current academic publishing environment, several potential solutions can be considered:

Encourage Open Access and Preprints: By making research more accessible through open access platforms and preprint servers, academics can potentially bypass the stranglehold of traditional journals. This approach allows for a more democratized dissemination of knowledge, reducing the reliance on expensive subscription models. Foster a Culture of Collaboration: Encouraging collaborative research and authorship can help distribute the burden of multiple submissions. Collaborative work often benefits from a broader network of reviewers, reducing the risks associated with multiple submissions. Evaluate Journals Based on True Value Added: Metrics that reflect the true value added by journals, such as their contribution to the research community and the impact on specific fields, should be given more weight in evaluations. This could include factors like how well the journal promotes interdisciplinary research and supports emerging fields.

By adopting these strategies, the academic publishing landscape can become more transparent, equitable, and focused on the true importance of the research it disseminates.