Peer Review

• What is peer review?


  The practice of using independent experts to assess the quality & validity of scientific research & academic reports.
• What 3 main purposes does peer review serve?

  Allocation of research funding, publication of research in academic journals & books & assessing the research rating of uni departments.
• What is the issue with the anonymity of peer review?

  Peer reviewers could criticise rivals
• What is publication bias?

  Journals tend to publish positive results & avoid publishing straight replications of studies. Preference for research that goes with existing theories rather than unconventional research.
• Not always possible to find appropriate expert to review research proposal or report
• Poor research may be passed as reviewer didn't really understand it
• Less opportunity for plagiarised work or duplications to be published
• Can't deal with already published research:

  Once research study published, results remain in public view even if they're fraudulent. Peer review doesn't ensure all data we're exposed to is valid. Brooks (2010)- debunked research used in debate in Parliament
• Process of peer review:

  Researcher's report/article submitted to panel of peers for review. They scrutinise methodology, data analysis & conclusions & submit their comments to editor. Editor may reject article or submit it to author to make revisions. Revised article re-submitted to editor for publication.