Figure 3. Critical comments follow papers after a short time.

(a) Probability density function of the difference in publication dates between comments and commented papers in Physical Review Letters. Comments are, on average, published τ = 13.5 months later than commented papers (standard deviation σ_τ = 11.8). In the inset, we report the cumulative distribution function of the difference in publication dates between comments and commented papers in Physical Review Letters. The 95% of the comments are published 4 – 5 months later than criticized papers, but also in less 30 – 31 months after the publication of commented papers. (b) The typical difference between the publication dates of comments and commented papers in Science is τ = 8.2 (σ_τ = 3.7). In the 95% of the cases, comments in Science are published 3 – 4 months after the publication of the commented papers, and before 14 – 15 months since the criticized papers have been published. (c) In Water Resources Research, the time difference between the publication dates of comments and commented papers has an average value τ = 18.3 (σ_τ = 11.8). In the 95% of the cases, commented papers in Water Resources Research receive a comment after 9 – 10 months but also before 36 – 40 months since their publication. (d) In Geology, papers are commented after an average period τ = 10.1 (σ_τ = 5.4). In the 95% of the cases, comments and commented papers have publication dates that differ more than 4 – 5 months, but also less than 17 – 18 months.