FAQ

What does “Examen Silentii” mean?

It is Latin for “examination of silence”. The journal is concerned above all with silent failures: cases where software or data gives a wrong result without any sign that something is wrong.

How is ExSil different from other journals?

The Journal of Open Source Software publishes papers announcing research software; ReScience C publishes replications of computational studies; CODECHECK certifies that a paper’s code reproduces its results. ExSil publishes independent tests of the tools and data themselves, together with the maintainers’ response.

Does it cost anything?

No. There are no fees to submit, publish or read.

Who can submit?

Anyone. Authors do not need an institutional affiliation. Every submission is judged on whether its test is reproducible, its reference is independent, and its claims follow from its results.

Must the examined software be open source?

No, but reviewers must be able to rerun the test. If the software is commercial, the authors must explain how reviewers can obtain access.

How long should I wait for maintainers before submitting?

The journal recommends at least 30 days after reporting the problem, unless the maintainers respond sooner. If the project is no longer maintained, say so in the submission.

Can I submit a problem I found in my own software?

Yes, provided the test meets the same requirements. Declare your role as a conflict of interest.

Are articles peer reviewed?

Yes. Each examination is reviewed openly on GitHub by at least two reviewers, who rerun the test.

How do I cite an ExSil article?

Use the citation shown on its Zenodo record, which includes the article’s DOI.