A02 peer review

Question 1

Why is peer review essential

Answer 1

Without it we wouldn’t know what is mere option and speculation as distinct from real fact

Question 2

Intro to some negatives

Answer 2

Slow expensive highly subjective prone to bad easily abused almost useless at detecting fraud

Question 3

What are the 5 sections

Answer 3

Findings an expert
Anonymity
Publication bias
Preserving the status quo
Can't deal with already published research

Question 4

Talk about finding an expert

Answer 4

It isn’t always possible to find an appropriate expert to review
So poor research may be passed because the reviewer didn’t really understand it

Question 5

Talk about anonymity

Answer 5

Usually practised so that reviewers can be honest and objective but can have the opposite effects

Some reviewer use anonymity to settle old scores or Bury rival research

That’s why nowadays some journals may prefer open reviewing

Question 6

Tall about publication bias

Answer 6

Journals tend to prefer to publish positive results in order to increase the standing of their journal

This results in a bias in published research that on turn leads to a misperception of the true facts

Question 7

Preserving the statud quo

Answer 7

There a preference for research that goes with existing theory rather than dissenting or unconventional work

So peer review some say is a means of discovering the acceptability not the validity of a new finding

Question 8

Can’t deal with already published research

Answer 8

Once research study has been published the results remain in the public view even if they have subsequently been shown to be fraudulent or simply a results of poor research practices

But as shown it was used in debate in parliament