Why scientific publications should be anonymous

TL;DR

Publishing scientific papers anonymously could reduce biases caused by researcher prominence, leading to fairer recognition and more accurate scientific communication, though practical implementation strategies are needed.

Contribution

The paper proposes anonymous publication as a solution to reduce biases in scientific recognition and discusses how to implement this change.

Findings

Anonymous publishing can decrease bias in scientific recognition

Implementation strategies for anonymous publication are suggested

Potential for more equitable scientific communication

Abstract

Numerous studies have revealed biases within the scientific communication system and across all scientific fields. For example, already prominent researchers receive disproportional credit compared to their (almost) equally qualified colleagues -- because of their prominence. However, none of those studies has offered a solution as to how to decrease the incidence of these biases. In this paper I argue that by publishing anonymously, we can decrease the incidence of inaccurate heuristics in the current scientific communication system. Specific suggestions are made as to how to implement the changes.