The main aims of peer review

• 1. To allocate research funding. Independent peer evaluation also takes place to decide whether or not to award funding for a proposed research project. This may be coordinated by government-run funding organisations such as the medical research council, who have a vested interest in establishing which research projects are most worthwhile
• 2. To validate the quality and relevance of research. All elements of research are assessed for quality and accuracy: the formulation of hypotheses , methodology chosen, the statistical tests used and the conclusions drawn
• 3. To suggest amendments or improvements. Reviewers may suggest minor revisions of the work and thereby improve the report. I’m extreme circumstances, they may conclude that the work is inappropriate for publication and should be withdrawn