What is peer review?
Peer review is a quality-control process that is mostly applied to research reports, articles, and studies. A scholar, researcher, or scientist submits their work to peers in the same field, who ensure its originality, validity, and quality before publication. These peers are known as reviewers or referees.
Peer review filters out inaccurate or plagiarized manuscripts before a journal publishes them. This method maintains the journal's integrity and the field's value as a whole.
A similar system exists in the software industry. Peer code review software lets developers submit their code to other developers to check for bugs or potential security issues. Reviewers write comments on the files and assist the original developer in creating better software in less time.
Types of peer review
Individual journals and publications use their own peer-review processes, but common types include:
- Single-blind. Also known as single-anonymized review, this is the most frequently-used process. Scholars submit their manuscripts. Their peers know the names of the authors, but the author doesn’t know who is leaving feedback. Since the reviewers leave anonymous comments, they don’t restrain their criticism. However, authors sometimes express concerns that the reviewers may steal work.
- Double-blind or double-anonymized review. In this method, the author doesn’t know the reviewers' names, nor do the reviewers know the authors' names. This has the same advantages as the single-blind process and also ensures that a prominent academic doesn’t pass based on reputation alone.
- Triple-blind. This system anonymizes the identities of all three parties – writer, reviewer, and editor – to eliminate any biases. While good in theory, it’s difficult to carry out in practice.
- Open. In open peer review, all involved parties are known to each other. This method ensures transparency, but some people feel that it reduces honesty.
Peer review process
Different types of peer review exist, but they all follow similar steps. Peer review typically proceeds with these three steps.
- Submission and initial editorial review. The authors submit their work to the publication's editor, who considers whether to reject the piece or start the peer review process.
- Review by peers. For pieces that continue on, referees scrutinize all aspects of the work, flagging incorrect data and commenting on procedural issues. At this point, the reviewers recommend whether the piece should be accepted, rejected, or revised and resubmitted.
- Revision and resubmission. If the piece is original and significant but contains some errors or issues, the original author makes changes and resubmits. At that stage, the manuscript is then accepted or rejected for publication in the journal.
Benefits of peer review
Sometimes peer review is criticized because pieces could get rejected by a reviewer based on their biases. But the process offers several benefits to scholarly publication as well.
- Upholding high standards. If a scholar knows they submit their work to a publication that uses a peer review process, they’re more likely to maintain an airtight methodology and obtain the latest, most up-to-date sources. This creates better research and contributes to advancements in the field.
- Maintaining credibility. Journals strive to obtain name recognition and a top-notch reputation. Subjecting submitted pieces to the scrutiny of reviewers reduces the chances of publishing plagiarized or substandard work.
- Providing accurate information to readers. Scholarly journals are read by leaders in the field, like doctors, scientists, and academics. Peer-reviewed journals have filtered out low-quality work so that experts can access information that will inform their own practice.
- Promoting diverse voices. Double- or triple-blind peer review methods help assure that reviewers don’t discriminate against manuscripts based on the writer’s background.
Peer review best practices
Peer review increases accuracy in written work and improves trust in journals. For best results, peer reviewers should follow these best practices:
- Focus on content. Since referees are experts, they bring the most value when focusing on scientific or academic content, like the data and methodology. If grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes become distracting, reviewers might leave a note to the editor.
- Provide insights to the author and the editor. Referees should provide constructive feedback to the author about the manuscript and also guide the editor about whether to reject, accept, or revise it.
- Keep ethics in mind. Academia is a competitive field, and researchers may be tempted to submit less ethical or transparent work. Peer reviewers should think critically about the methods used and flag any spots with questionable integrity or transparency.
Use scientific data management systems to collect and store information in the lab to achieve better data integrity.
Kelly Fiorini
Kelly Fiorini is a freelance writer for G2. After ten years as a teacher, Kelly now creates content for mostly B2B SaaS clients. In her free time, she’s usually reading, spilling coffee, walking her dogs, and trying to keep her plants alive. Kelly received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Notre Dame and her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Louisville.
