Honest signaling in academic publishing

Academic journals provide a key quality-control mechanism in science. Yet, information asymmetries and conflicts of interests incentivize scientists to deceive about the quality their research. How can honesty be ensured, despite incentives for deception? Here, we address this question by applying theory honest signaling publication process. Our models demonstrate that several mechanisms ensure journal submission, including differential benefits, costs, costs resubmitting rejected papers. Without submission benefit from submitting all papers high-ranking journals, unless only submitted limited number times. Counterintuitively, our analysis implies inefficiencies academic publishing (e.g., arbitrary formatting requirements, long review times) serve function disincentivizing low-quality work journals. simple, powerful tools understanding how promote paper publishing.