Peer Review

Question 1

What are Peer Reviews?

Answer 1

The assessment of scientific work by others who are specialists in the field
=> Ensure public research is high quality + valid

Question 2

Aim of Peer Review

Answer 2

(1) Allocate research funding
(2) Validating the quality of research
(3) Suggesting amendments
(4) Importance of research rating of uni departments

Question 3

Allocating research funding

Answer 3

Peer reviews decide who gets funding from government-run org. for research

Establishing who’s worthwhile

Question 4

Validating the quality + advance of research

Answer 4

Prevents incorrect data reaching public
=> Includes:
- formulation of hypothesis
- methodology chosen
- statistical tests used
- conc. drawn

Question 5

Suggesting amendments + improvements

Answer 5

Reviewers may suggest minor revisions of work to improve report

=> may conclude the work inappropriate for publication

Question 6

Importance in assessing research rating of uni departments

Answer 6

All uni departments are expected to conduct research + is assessed on terms of quality

=> future funding depends on a good rating (Research Assessment Exercise)

Question 7

Why might researchers be biased?

Answer 7

Anonymity

=> may give bad review as a way to criticise other researchers due to competition for limited funding

Question 8

What is publication bias?

Answer 8

Natural tendency to want to publish attention grabbing findings to increase credibility + circulation of publication

Question 9

What does publication bias often cause to get published?

Answer 9

Most likely

• to post positive results
• anything else creates false impressions

Question 10

Why might peer review result in lack of change in science?

Answer 10

• process suppresses opposing mainstream theories to maintain status quo
• established scientists are often dismiss new + innovative research

=> slows down change in scientific discipline