The Clarivate^TM Analytics acquisition of Publons – an evolution or commodification of peer review?

Abstract

Without peer reviewers, the entire scholarly publishing system as we currently know it would collapse. However, as it currently stands, publishing is an extremely exploitative system, relative to other business models, in which trained and specialized labor is exploited, in the form of editors and peer reviewers, primarily by for-profit publishers, in return for a pat on the back, and a public nod of thanks. This is the “standardized” and “accepted” form for deriving mainstream peer reviewed literature. However, except for open peer review, where reports are open and identities are known, traditional peer review is closed, and the content of peer reports is known only to the authors and editors involved. Publons launched in 2012 as a platform that would offer recognition to peer reviewers for their work. In 2016, Publons rewarded the most productive reviewers with a “Sentinels of Science” award, accompanied by a dismal monetary reward (38 US cents/review) for their efforts. A site aimed at registering pre- and post-publication peer efforts, Publons was perceived as a positive step towards a more transparent peer review system. However, the continued presence of fake peer reviews and a spike in retractions, even among publishers that were Publons sponsors, suggests that perhaps peers may be exploiting Publons to get recognition for superficial or poor peer review. Since all reviews are not public, their content and quality cannot be verified. On 1 June 2017, ClarivateTM Analytics, which owns the journal impact factor—most likely the most gamed non-academic factor in academic publishing—which is a measure of the number of citations of papers in journals, many of which are published by the for-profit publishers—including Publons sponsors—that “employ” free peer reviewers to quality check the literature they then sell for profit, purchased Publons. Touting the purchase as a way to increase transparency, and stamp out fake peer review, some who had supported Publons felt betrayed, even cancelling their Publons accounts immediately when learning of this purchase. Their concerns included the possible “gaming” of peer review as had taken place with the journal impact factor. This commentary examines possible positive and negative aspects of this business transaction, and what it might mean to academics and publishers.

How do Clarivate Analytics and Publons propose to fortify peer review in the COVID-19 era?

“…When Clarivate Analytics acquired Publons on 1 June 2017, there was much interest in understanding if this would result in either an evolution and improvement, or commodification, of peer review. 1 , 2 The reason is because peer review tends to be exploitative, frequently extracting professional services, especially of peers and editors, for little or no monetary compensation while reaping record multi-billion dollar profits, 3 , 4 so it is expected that the services, tools, 5 and industries within and around academic journals and publishers also assume an exploitative nature. To compound this exploitative state, academia and academic publishing are currently experiencing a state of ‘fake’, including the abuse and fraud of peer review.…”

Rejuvenation of online research interactive fora during COVID-19

“…Publons has a free peer review training course (Publons Academy) which helps the user get practical experience on the peer reviewing process with one-to-one assistance https://www.indjst.org/ from a mentor. Publons suffer from weakness i.e., some peer reviews are not legit and this makes the peers exploit Publons for getting recognition (19) .…”

Rewarding the quantity of peer review could harm biomedical research

“…The Publons model, which offers academics recognition for their activity in providing peer review, and rewards them for the number of peer review reports, should not ignore the fact that peer review has been and should remain a voluntary task ( 18 , 19 ). If this model is misused, it may pressurize authors.…”