Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
• A new species of dinosaur;
• Anatomical evidence in that dinosaur, showing it was adapted for burrow-
ing;
• A burrow that fit the reconstructed dimensions of the dinosaur;
• Aburrowthathadsmallerburrowsattachedtoit,showingacommensalism
like that seen today in large vertebrate burrows;
• Two half-grown juveniles of the same species, indicating denning and ex-
tended parental care.
In our estimation, then, this discovery did indeed fulfill the earthy expression
of applying a foot to one's posterior. Clearly it was time to do the logical next step
in the scientific method, which was to hold a press conference.
Just kidding. What scientists are supposed to do after a momentous discovery,
wellbeforeschedulinginterviewsontalkshows,datingHollywoodstars,orupload-
ingself-promotingvideostoYouTube,istoputallofourobservationsandanalyses
into a coherent report that states our argument. The report is then sent to a scientific
journal, where our peers—other paleontologists—give it a beady-eyed critical re-
view. The very first step of this peer review happens with a journal editor. She or
he decides whether the report deserves to be sent on for peer review, or whether it
should be kicked back immediately to the authors with a pithy and dismissive “not
worthy of our journal” notice. If this report gets past the editor, it is sent to at least
two experts in the appropriate field for review.
Intheinitialsubmissionofthereport,authorsarewelcometosuggestpotential
reviewers who they think would give fair, thorough, and relatively impartial assess-
ments of your work. Authors can also state who should
not
review it. This is nor-
mally because of a conflict of interest, such as a potential reviewer being a cantan-
kerous pedant who has never agreed with a single word written in any of the au-
thors'previousreports,including“and,”“the,”andespecially“but.”Ifyou'rereally
unlucky, though, the editor will pick just that person, either out of a sense of be-
ing “fair and balanced” (in a cable-news sort of way) or because the editor enjoys
watching intellectual fireworks. The editor may even pick the much-dreaded third
