Gender and Sexuality Commons^™

The Editor’S Role In Preventing Gender Bias In Scientific Journals: A Challenge, Mary Guinan

Public Health Faculty Publications

One way to explore whether gender bias exists in the process of scientific publishing is to examine the end product, ie, the published works, using previously validated criteria. Williams and Borins used this method and found significant gender bias in the studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study will be challenged on the basis of the criteria used to detect bias. Are they valid'' Who is to decide" No generally agreed upon criteria exist to examine gender bias. Indeed, scientific journals have not indicated that they see a need for such examination. But even this method …