An interview with one of PLoS ONE’s most frequently published authors.

Jeremy Farrar, from the Centre for Tropical Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, U.K. and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam has published seven articles with PLoS ONE, which makes him one of our most frequently published authors.

We caught up with him via email as he sped around the world to ask him why he published with us, what his experience was like and whether he would do it again. Here’s what he said:

We have chosen to publish a number of manuscripts in PLoS ONE for a variety of reasons. We are committed to the concept of truly open access journals, open from day one following publication and available to everyone anywhere. The follow on comments on the publications from readers is a superb feature and has already facilitated a series of discussions which never happen with the traditional publication system.

We have found the reviewers to be very tough, tougher than many of the reviewers from more established journals. The reviewers on papers reporting randomized controlled trials have been particularly tough and their reviews have undoubtedly improved the manuscripts.

The journal provides an important niche for a range of publications, ensures the research is available to as wide an audience as possible, encourages participation from readers after publication and in my experience the standard of review has been very high with particularly robust statistical review and a standard format for reporting which allows easier comparisons between trials.

Open access is crucial and whatever the complexities of the business model for the PLoS journals I hope the idea survives and builds on its initial success. In my area of work in international health true open access at the time of publication is a vitally important concept, crucial to the building of science and encouragement of research globally and one which we will support fully by continuing to sending our work for consideration for publication.

If you have not published with PLoS ONE before or if you have published just once or twice, we encourage you to follow Jeremy’s lead in facilitating the open publication of research by sending your work to us.