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What are the basic FSP requirements for review, approval, and release of scientific information products? [004]

By Office of Science Quality and Integrity

Scientific information products generally receive peer review, data review, names review, editorial review, and policy review, which are followed by approval and release of the product. [Read More]

All scientific information products, regardless of format, must receive the following reviews and approvals as appropriate, generally in the order shown below.

  1. Peer review, which ensures the scientific quality of USGS information (as detailed in SM 502.3);
  2. Editorial review (required for USGS publications series), which ensures that appropriate Bureau standards and quality assurance for accuracy and clarity of expression are met as detailed in SM 1100.2;
  3. Policy review (part of Bureau approval), which ensures that all policies relevant to USGS FSP are met and identifies policy sensitive issues, including those that may have implications related to current policy or that may involve matters of national interest, security, or potential commercial gain (as detailed in SM 502.4);
  4. Approval, which includes that of line supervisors generally following the organizational alignment of the senior USGS author, and, subsequently, Bureau approval, which validates the scientific excellence of the scientific information product by the appropriate officials (as detailed in SM 205.18); and
  5. Release, which includes USGS publication series products available through the USGS Publications Warehouse and the USGS Store (for printed copies) and products submitted to an outside publisher (such as a journal) for release.

Other reviews such as data review and names review, described in SM 502.4, may also be required prior to approval.