Time lapse between hypothesis and publication in the medical sciences.

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Publication Science

Background:

• Understanding the publication process is crucial for academic and medical institutions.
• Analyzing factors influencing research publication timelines can optimize scientific output.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors affecting the publication timeline of research articles from Mayo Clinic authors.
• To identify key stages and time allocation within the research publication process.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 103 published papers by Mayo Clinic authors.
• Categorization of papers into basic-science, clinical research, case reports, and literature reviews.
• Examination of time from research initiation to publication and manuscript preparation stages.

Main Results:

• Publication timelines varied: 4 years for basic/clinical research, 3 for reviews, 2 for case reports.
• 75% of the time was dedicated to research and writing; 25% to post-writing processing.
• 23% of papers had significant contributions from non-first authors.
• 10-20% of references cited were self-referential.
• Half of papers underwent revision or rejection, impacting journal handling time.

Conclusions:

• The research and writing phases constitute the majority of the publication timeline.
• Collaborative writing and manuscript revision are common aspects of the publication process.
• Understanding these factors can inform strategies to streamline scientific publication.