: Re: What should be done if there is a dispute of opinions within the editorial team? In a magazine where an individual author's name is not published with the article, it seems obvious to me that

@Caterina108

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Journals don't have a lot of room for error taking extra time to "get to the bottom of things." They have to get their product out, especially in the case of a team effort which costs hundreds of dollars an hour to produce.

In the case of a single author or investigative reporter, a single editor probably supervises, and individual differences are hashed out.

A team effort probably involves a company-wide policy and a chief editor. As Mark noted, if the employee really doesn't like it, there is always resignation, but since this scenario will repeat itself until said employee is a chief editor, most people will just swallow their pride and accept it. Full-time jobs in writing are few and far between.

If a chief editor is outvoted, that's a case-by-case basis, and the journal's president might get involved. Publications are private enterprises trying to turn a profit. When in doubt, the tendency is for the powers-that-be to choose sensationalism.

A peer-reviewed scientific journal is a different beast with the main issue being whether the data supports the conclusions. In this case, a single dissenting opinion might require the research team to recrunch the numbers so that the conclusion is more reliable--this may alter the conclusion. Again, it's up to the chief editor to make a formal decision. This person is an expert in the field.

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