peer review

• Peer review

  Before publication, all aspects of the investigation are scrutinised by experts in the field. These experts should be objective and unknown to the researcher.
• Aims

  Funding - allocate research funding

  Validation of the quality and relevance of research

  Improvements and amendments are suggested
• Evaluation : strength

  protects quality of published research. minimises possibility of fraudulent research and means published research is of the highest quality. preserves the reputation of psychology as a science and increases the credibility and status of the subject
• Evaluation : limitations

  1. Publication bias. tendency for editors of journals to want to publish headline grabbing findings. means that research that does not meet this criterion is ignored.
  2. Ground breaking research may be buried. Reviewers may be much more critical of research that contradicts their own view. peer review may slow down the rate of change within scientific discipline
  3. Anonymity may be used to criticise rival researchers. Often there is competition for limited research funding so this may be an issue.