The Unjournal
Evaluation Process
How research gets evaluated in 7-10 weeks
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Process Overview
Entry Point
UJ Process
Evaluation
Author
Published
Total timeline: 7-10 weeks from prioritization to publication
Press right arrow to walk through each step...
Step 1: Research Enters
Research Submitted or Identified
Research can be:
📚
From prestige
archives (NBER)
Step 2: Prioritization
Research Submitted or Identified
↓
UJ Team Prioritizes
Low priority
↓
Deprioritized
High priority
↓
Continue →
Priority based on: global relevance, methodology, author engagement
Step 3: Author Contact
High Priority Research
↓
Contact Authors
Career-sensitive (PhD students)
↓
Permission Required
Established researchers
↓
No Permission Needed
We check paper status, offer temporary embargos if needed, and invite author engagement
Step 4: Evaluation Manager Assigned
Research Ready for Evaluation
↓
Evaluation Manager Assigned
The Evaluation Manager:
Recruits
evaluators
Manages
timeline
Writes
summary
Step 5: Evaluators Recruited
Evaluation Manager
↓
Evaluators Recruited: 2-3 Accept
Timeline: Selection takes ~1-2 weeks
Evaluators are:
- ✓ Subject matter experts
- ✓ Paid for their work
- ✓ Can choose anonymity or sign their evaluation
Step 6: Evaluation Period
2-3 Evaluators Recruited
↓
5+ weeks
↓
Evaluators Complete Reports & Ratings
Each evaluation includes:
Written
Report
Quantitative
Ratings
Confidence
Scores
Step 7: Author Response
Evaluations Complete
↓
Shared anonymously with authors
↓
~2 weeks
↓
Authors Write Response
Authors can respond to feedback, clarify points, note planned revisions
Step 8: Manager Summary
Evaluation Reports
Author Response
↓
Manager considers both
↓
Evaluation Manager Writes Summary
Summary synthesizes key findings, agreements, and disagreements
Step 9: Publication!
Evaluations
Author Response
Manager Summary
↓
Published on PubPub with DOIs
↓
Promoted & Tracked
Unjournal vs Traditional Journals
The Unjournal
7-10 weeks
- ✓ Open evaluations
- ✓ Author can respond
- ✓ Evaluators paid
- ✓ DOIs for all outputs
Traditional Journal
24+ months
- ✗ Secret reviews
- ✗ Multiple rejections
- ✗ Unpaid reviewers
- ✗ Long revision cycles
Complete Process
Research Identified
↓
Prioritized → Author Permission
↓
Manager Assigns Evaluators
↓
5+ weeks evaluation
↓
Reports & Ratings
Author Response
↓
Published with DOIs