On manuscript submission, processing, review, and publication

THERE HAVE BEEN several publications on peer review in the IEEE Spectrum (August and September 1981) and in Physics Today (January and June 1981). The subject is of interest to both authors and editors. Very often the procedure of manuscript processing and review is not well understood. This is because the procedures as well as the review are not objective enough and, in fact, may be highly subjective depending on one´s point of view. Although certain procedures can be standardized, they are mechanical in nature and do not affect the outcome.