Peer review Flashcards
What is peer review?
-Before research is published
-Experts in the area of expertise independently review and critique the submitted report
-To deem if scientifically acceptable
-So essentially a filter system to prevent flawed or unscientific research being accepted as fact by society.
What are the four options where the reviewer will recommend whether the research should be published?
-Accept the work unconditionally
-Accept it as long as the researcher improves it
in certain ways
-Reject it but suggest revisions and a resubmission
-Reject it outright.
What is a single blind review?
-Reviewers know the authors identity, but not nice versa
-Thought to allow unbiased review free from interference by the researcher
What is a double blind review?
-Identities of the author and referees are both hidden to reduce bias
What is an open review?
-Author and referees identities are known to each other
-Thought to encourage open, honest reviews and reduce risk of plagiarism and personal comments
Why might there be potential bias in peer review?
-reviewers theoretical theory may differ from the research they assessing so difficult to be objective in assessment report
-Also be due to the institution where the research was carried out as they seem to favour publications from more prestigious institutions
-Gender bias is also an issue-favouritism being shown to reports produced my male researchers.
Why is is it difficult to preserve the status quo?
-Peer review can be biased towards preserving the status quo thinking in psychology
-Therefore favouring safe research that goes with the existing theory rather than unconventional work which prevents a more revolutionary theory/explanation.
What is the issue with finding an appropriate expert?
-Not always possible to find an appropriate expert to review a research proposal or report if it is highly specialist/unique or new area of research.
Why might there be preference for significant results?
-Peer review tends to favour significant results where the experimental hypothesis has been supported rather than non significant results tht accept the null hypothesis
-Can distort understanding of a topic if a disproportional amount of significant findings are published.
Why is there anonymity increasing bias in peer review?
-Anonymity in single and double blind methods may actually have the opposite effect, giving the opportunity for reviewers to be overly critical
(especially is the research field is highly competitive/ funding is limited.
