peer review

Question 1

what are the 3 aims of peer review?

Answer 1

-allocate research funding.

-validate quality and relevance of research

-suggest amendments and improvements

Question 2

aim 1: how does peer review allocate research funding?

Answer 2

it decides whether to award funding for projects that are co-ordinated by the government

only for research proposals

Question 3

aim 2: how does peer review validate quality and relevance of research?

Answer 3

all the elements of the research are assessed for quality and accuracy.

Question 4

aim 3: how does peer review suggest amendments and improvements

Answer 4

reviewers may suggest minor revisions of the work and improve the report.

extreme circumstances may also decide that the research is inappropriate for publication and should be withdrawn.

Question 5

who are the peers in a peer review?

Answer 5

small group of usually 2-3 experts / specialists that are in the same field.

Question 6

why should peer review be anonymous?

Answer 6

in order to gain honest appraisal, however this can lead to peers critiscing rival researchers.

therefore some favour an open system of reviewing, where the names are public.

Question 7

why is publication bias an issue in peer review?

Answer 7

journal editors publish headlines to increase attention and credibility

some prefer to publish positive results, meaning negative research is disregarded.

creates false impressions of the current state of psychology.

Question 8

how does peer review lead to burying ground breaking research?

Answer 8

-peer review may supress opposition to mainstream theories.

-reviewers are critical of research that oppose their own

-may slow down the rate of change within a particular scientific discipline.