B - Number of reviewers and editors' rejection rate

Schultz DM. Are three heads better than two? How the number of reviewers and editor behavior affect the rejection rate. Scientometrics 2009;84(2):277-92
(doi: 10.1007/s11192-009-0084-0)

Five hundred manuscripts submitted to Monthly Weather Review in the years 2007-2008 were examined to investigate whether the number of reviewers used by an editor affects the rate at which manuscripts are rejected. Rejection rates were not significantly different whether two or three reviewers were used. By means of a simple model, designed for three decision-making strategies for editors, it is demonstrated that, for this dataset, editors are likely to reject a manuscript when any reviewer recommends rejection.

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