peer review

• define peer review

  a process which takes place before a study is published where the work is reviewed by other workers in that field for validity, reliability or any other methodological flaws
• why peer review is important in psychological research?

  • ensure only high quality research Is published (credible with appropriate design and methodology)
  • ensures anything published has integrity, not biased, can be taken seriously by fellow researchers and lay people
  • research often has applications to real life, so quality needs to be reviewed so any recommendations/guidelines can be accurately founded and there is no negative consequences for affected individuals
  • can assess the significance of the research in wider context and how original work is/refers to relevant research used
• how does peer review work

  1. Submission:

  • An author submits their work (e.g., a research paper) to a journal or publisher. 
  • 2. Initial Review:The editor of the journal or publisher assesses the work for relevance and suitability. 
  • 3. Peer Review:The editor then selects experts (peers) in the field to review the submitted work. 
  • 4. Review Process:Reviewers provide feedback on the work, including its strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement. 
  • 5. Editor's Decision:The editor considers the reviews and makes a decision about the work's acceptance, rejection, or revision. 
• limitations of peer review

  •  The research may be so unique there are no experts;
  • reviewers may be adversaries in the exact same research area.
  • should be anonymous but with a small number of specialists everyone tends to know whose research it is.
  • may criticise research that invalidates or disputes theirs because of jealousy, loss of credibility
  • OPENPEER REVIEW: aware of each other's identities, comments may be made public. Usually it is submitted online to an open forum. increase transparency and accountability