Rubriq Sound Research Stamp

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Research Square has launched a new product aimed at maximising speed and impact when publishing verified research results.

Two years ago Research Square, based in Durham, North Carolina, launched Rubriq, a system that has performed more than 2,000 peer reviews. The company says the new Rubriq Sound Research Stamp represents another step toward a better model for publishing verified research results to maximise speed and impact. The product determines whether a research article is fundamentally sound and suitable for publication.

Rubriq’s independent process helps researchers by creating a standard format and scoring system for reviews, allowing them to bypass the traditional and time-consuming process of moving from journal to journal.

‘By decoupling validation from the publication process and creating a standardised peer review methodology, we give researchers more options to disseminate their work and, more importantly, more time to focus on their next discovery,’ said Shashi Mudunuri, CEO of Research Square. ‘The Sound Research Stamp enables researchers to more quickly share their results through a variety of channels. Savvy journal editors will offer streamlined publication paths to attract researchers that have the Sound Research Stamp, and we are happy to facilitate those connections.’

Rubriq scorecards already provide comprehensive feedback on research that has been thoroughly and independently peer reviewed. Now, the Sound Research Stamp will enable editors and researchers to immediately see whether the research is ready for publication in a sound science journal. The service is launching with two different stamps.

Sound Research Certified is for work that the reviewers believe could be published with minor revisions, or even exactly as it is, whereas Sound Research Potential is for articles that reviewers believe will be publishable but will require some larger issues to be addressed before publication.

‘Good peer review should create an in-depth, thoughtful response to the work,’ said Jody Plank, the Product Manager for Rubriq, ‘and Rubriq scorecards contain a wealth of information. But there’s also a need, particularly in open access publishing, for a clear assessment of the work. The stamps will give both researchers and editors an immediate indication of whether the article is suitable for publication.’

The stamps make no judgment as to the importance of the work; that is for the wider scientific community to assess. Instead, the stamp indicates that the manuscript represents methodologically sound research with publication-quality presentation.

The stamps were created in response to the needs of open access publishers, who require a streamlined peer review system but are also looking to maintain high quality in their published works.