The scientific process--its links, functions and problems.

The scientific process comprises production, quality control, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge. Its links are represented by author, editor and referees, publisher, and user. The basic units of the scientific process are research articles, the basic substrate learned journals. The formalized scientific process provides the foundation for orderly worldwide public communication among scientists and for establishing priority in scientific findings and ideas. The functions and problems of the author-editor, editor-publisher and publisher-user connections are outlined and discussed, and suggestions are offered for reducing potentially detrimental effects of diverging link interests.