by Rishma Parpia
The peer review process is the pride of rigorous academic publishing. It is a critical component used to maintain the integrity of academic publications and a method used to ensure that information appearing in the scientific and medical literature is thoroughly vetted for accuracy.
How Does Peer Review Work?
The process begins after a researcher submits a paper to an academic journal. The editors of the journal then assign a group of independent reviewers to evaluate and critique the content of paper.1 Often, the researcher submitting the study will offer names of scholars in their field of study who are qualified to undertake the reviews. However, the final decision on the selection of reviewer typically lies in the hands of the journal editors.1
After the reviewers are appointed, they are required to investigate the research methodology used to conduct the study and provide feedback on any further improvements that can be made.1 In cases where the research methodology is flawed, reviewers have the ability to reject the paper. Typically, reviewers have no direct contact with the researchers and communicate their feedback via the editors of the journal who then decide to accept or reject the paper for publication.1
