Negative Reviews and Comments

The purpose of this Neurology Online Journal Club is not to slander others or promote my own views at the expense of others’. This is why the papers I and my colleagues choose to review are those where our main opinion on them is positive. However, we will be presenting personal opinions and interpretations which may not be the generally accepted view.

While the peer review process is somewhat excluded legally from accusations of slander, I am conscious that this online public journal review, conducted generally without the journal authors’ prior knowledge, is not. If we feel a study has been conducted poorly or a completely wrong conclusion drawn, it is likely that we will simply not choose it to review. The purpose is to educate, not to criticise negatively.

For this reason, I am sure visitors to the site will understand the necessity for me to moderate comments. Comments will be excluded if they are excessively negatively critical of the main research, my review of the research or the comments of other visitors. They will also be excluded if they are off topic, especially if requesting or offering personal medical advice.