A Blockchain Cloud Computing Middleware for Academic Manuscript Submission

TL;DR

This paper proposes a blockchain-based cloud middleware for academic manuscript submission that aims to improve review objectivity, reduce bias, and streamline the peer-review process using open-source decentralized tools.

Contribution

It introduces a novel blockchain-enabled cloud framework for manuscript submission that enhances anonymity and decentralizes the peer-review process in scientific publishing.

Findings

Enhanced anonymity between authors and reviewers

Decentralized review process using open-source tools

Potential reduction in review bias and human error

Abstract

One of the most important tasks in scientific publishing is the articles' evaluation via the editorial board and the reviewers' community. Additionally, in scientific publishing great concern exists regarding the peer-review process and how it can be further optimised to decrease the time from submission to the first decision, as well as increase the objectivity of the reviewers' remarks ensuring that no bias or human error exists in the reviewing process. In order to address this issue, our article suggests a novice cloud framework for manuscript submission based on blockchain technology that further enhances the anonymity between authors and reviewers alike. Our method covers the whole spectrum of current submission systems capabilities, but it also provides a decentralised solution using open-source tools such as Java Spring that enhance the anonymity of the reviewing process.