Scientific journals place less trust in women researchers

"However, their increased presence does not translate into equal conditions, and the differences that still persist also extend to scientific communication. This is demonstrated by a large-scale study recently published in the journal PLOS Biology. The authors analyzed 36.5 million academic articles and concluded that biomedical and life science research led by women spends more time in the peer-review process than that led by their male colleagues."

"The study used a sample of texts indexed in PubMed, the biomedical literature database, and compared the time elapsed between manuscript submission and final acceptance. The results show that studies with women as first authors or corresponding authors experienced this delay. For researcher David Alvarez-Ponce, a professor at the University of Nevada in the United States, and one of the study's authors, this delay poses a series of long-term disadvantages for female scientists."

"For the sociologist, who did not participate in the study, the most obvious consequence is related to women's professional advancement and the funding of their research. If publications are delayed, there are fewer articles, which are still the primary means of scientific advancement, she points out. It also has an effect on the production of knowledge itself. We are going against the integrity of science, she argues."

Women represent 39.6% of research personnel in Spain, yet presence does not ensure equal conditions in scientific careers and communication. Analysis of 36.5 million biomedical and life-science articles indexed in PubMed shows manuscripts led by women spend more time in the peer-review process than those led by men. Delays affect papers with women as first or corresponding authors. Accumulated review-time increases disadvantage across a researcher’s career, reducing the total number of publications. Slower publication timelines hinder professional advancement and access to research funding. Publication delays also affect the production of knowledge and can undermine scientific integrity. Men and women may conduct research differently; women have offered distinct perspectives in areas such as animal behavior.

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