US EPA

Reviews are papers that compile, summarize, critique and synthesize the available information on a topic. They are highly represented in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s 100 most cited papers for a good and obvious reason. If you wish to provide citation to support your use of a method or assumption, a good review paper will provide that support by showing that it is consistent with current knowledge or best practice. The popularity of reviews is illustrated by the criticism of impact factors as being biased in favor of reviews relative to original research. In this editorial, I will not review the individual highly cited reviews. Rather, I will encourage you to write more and better reviews as a service to the scientific community and to enhance your career.

This is an editorial solicited by the editors of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry to addrss the importance of review papers. It is intended to encourage scientists to write more and better review papers.

Suter, G. Review Papers Are Important And Worth Writing. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, 32(9):1929-1930, (2013).