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Why do non-governmental organizations tend to publish non peer-reviewed “grey†literature?
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Is there any reason why most non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tend to publish non-peer reviewed literature? I have seen some NGO scientists as co-authors, even in some important papers, but most of their production is reports which are not peer-reviewed. While it is true that most NGOs do not do basic research, some of their reports could easily be converted to reviews, and some of their projects to applied research.
Do they want to avoid peer review for political reasons in order to be able to convey the message they want? In my view their message would be much stronger if it came from a peer-reviewed article. Is it also a matter of time as peer-reviewed articles take a long time to get published?
peer-review grey-literature ngo
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
Is there any reason why most non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tend to publish non-peer reviewed literature? I have seen some NGO scientists as co-authors, even in some important papers, but most of their production is reports which are not peer-reviewed. While it is true that most NGOs do not do basic research, some of their reports could easily be converted to reviews, and some of their projects to applied research.
Do they want to avoid peer review for political reasons in order to be able to convey the message they want? In my view their message would be much stronger if it came from a peer-reviewed article. Is it also a matter of time as peer-reviewed articles take a long time to get published?
peer-review grey-literature ngo
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
What is NGO here?
– Dmitry Savostyanov
4 hours ago
@DmitrySavostyanov thanks, fixed!
– Herman Toothrot
4 hours ago
Remember that NGO do sponsor PhD students and fund some university research.
– Ian
27 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
Is there any reason why most non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tend to publish non-peer reviewed literature? I have seen some NGO scientists as co-authors, even in some important papers, but most of their production is reports which are not peer-reviewed. While it is true that most NGOs do not do basic research, some of their reports could easily be converted to reviews, and some of their projects to applied research.
Do they want to avoid peer review for political reasons in order to be able to convey the message they want? In my view their message would be much stronger if it came from a peer-reviewed article. Is it also a matter of time as peer-reviewed articles take a long time to get published?
peer-review grey-literature ngo
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
Is there any reason why most non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tend to publish non-peer reviewed literature? I have seen some NGO scientists as co-authors, even in some important papers, but most of their production is reports which are not peer-reviewed. While it is true that most NGOs do not do basic research, some of their reports could easily be converted to reviews, and some of their projects to applied research.
Do they want to avoid peer review for political reasons in order to be able to convey the message they want? In my view their message would be much stronger if it came from a peer-reviewed article. Is it also a matter of time as peer-reviewed articles take a long time to get published?
peer-review grey-literature ngo
peer-review grey-literature ngo
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
edited 6 mins ago
terdon
645613
645613
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
asked 4 hours ago
Herman Toothrot
5,94273465
5,94273465
What is NGO here?
– Dmitry Savostyanov
4 hours ago
@DmitrySavostyanov thanks, fixed!
– Herman Toothrot
4 hours ago
Remember that NGO do sponsor PhD students and fund some university research.
– Ian
27 mins ago
add a comment |Â
What is NGO here?
– Dmitry Savostyanov
4 hours ago
@DmitrySavostyanov thanks, fixed!
– Herman Toothrot
4 hours ago
Remember that NGO do sponsor PhD students and fund some university research.
– Ian
27 mins ago
What is NGO here?
– Dmitry Savostyanov
4 hours ago
What is NGO here?
– Dmitry Savostyanov
4 hours ago
@DmitrySavostyanov thanks, fixed!
– Herman Toothrot
4 hours ago
@DmitrySavostyanov thanks, fixed!
– Herman Toothrot
4 hours ago
Remember that NGO do sponsor PhD students and fund some university research.
– Ian
27 mins ago
Remember that NGO do sponsor PhD students and fund some university research.
– Ian
27 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
I can think of a couple of reasons:
- Peer review is slow. NGOs want their paper to influence policy now, not in one or two years from now.
- Peer review journals have a different audience than grey literature. NGOs typically want to communicate with people like policy makers or journalists, and these are less likely to read peer reviewed journals.
- Related to point 2: in order to effectively communicate with their intended audience they need a different style of writing and presenting their arguments than what is common and acceptable in peer reviewed journals.
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
5
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
2
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
I can think of a couple of reasons:
- Peer review is slow. NGOs want their paper to influence policy now, not in one or two years from now.
- Peer review journals have a different audience than grey literature. NGOs typically want to communicate with people like policy makers or journalists, and these are less likely to read peer reviewed journals.
- Related to point 2: in order to effectively communicate with their intended audience they need a different style of writing and presenting their arguments than what is common and acceptable in peer reviewed journals.
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
5
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
2
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
I can think of a couple of reasons:
- Peer review is slow. NGOs want their paper to influence policy now, not in one or two years from now.
- Peer review journals have a different audience than grey literature. NGOs typically want to communicate with people like policy makers or journalists, and these are less likely to read peer reviewed journals.
- Related to point 2: in order to effectively communicate with their intended audience they need a different style of writing and presenting their arguments than what is common and acceptable in peer reviewed journals.
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
5
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
2
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
I can think of a couple of reasons:
- Peer review is slow. NGOs want their paper to influence policy now, not in one or two years from now.
- Peer review journals have a different audience than grey literature. NGOs typically want to communicate with people like policy makers or journalists, and these are less likely to read peer reviewed journals.
- Related to point 2: in order to effectively communicate with their intended audience they need a different style of writing and presenting their arguments than what is common and acceptable in peer reviewed journals.
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
I can think of a couple of reasons:
- Peer review is slow. NGOs want their paper to influence policy now, not in one or two years from now.
- Peer review journals have a different audience than grey literature. NGOs typically want to communicate with people like policy makers or journalists, and these are less likely to read peer reviewed journals.
- Related to point 2: in order to effectively communicate with their intended audience they need a different style of writing and presenting their arguments than what is common and acceptable in peer reviewed journals.
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
answered 4 hours ago
Maarten Buis
20.3k24566
20.3k24566
5
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
2
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
add a comment |Â
5
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
2
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
5
5
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
There may also be a fourth, slightly more nefarious, reason. NGOs are political players, some of their findings may not withstand a careful examination of their methods. That is, I don't question the good intentions of a vast majority of NGOs, but they inherently have an agenda.
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
I agree with these points but not completely with point number 2, if you publish a peer-reviewed article there is nothing stopping you to create a separate document or report that presents the same results in a more accessible way.
– Herman Toothrot
3 hours ago
2
2
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
@HermanToothrot Sure, but writing a peer-reviewed paper costs time and money (both not things that most NGOs have excessive amounts of). If it does not help them, why do it?
– xLeitix
3 hours ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
Another factor is that their staff do not require peer reviewed publications to keep their jobs, and to get new jobs. Hence that don't need to play the "citation count" games that university staff do.
– Ian
30 mins ago
add a comment |Â
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What is NGO here?
– Dmitry Savostyanov
4 hours ago
@DmitrySavostyanov thanks, fixed!
– Herman Toothrot
4 hours ago
Remember that NGO do sponsor PhD students and fund some university research.
– Ian
27 mins ago