Data Science (DSCI) 490 Capstone Research Guide

Peer Review

A process by which something proposed (as for research or publication) is evaluated by a group of experts in that specific field - qualified individuals often called referees.

Peer review is a methodology employed to:

1. Maintain standards

2. Improve research methodology and analysis 

3. Provide credibility

The term is often used to denote a prepublication review of academic papers prior to their publication. 

The final and often most impactful aspect of peer review occurs after your article is published, when the global audience of your peers can comment, question, and assess the credibility of your research publication. 

How many of you have heard of Retraction Watch? 

In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, along with 12 other colleagues, published an article in the British medical journal The Lancet. Titled "Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children," suggested a possible correlation between the MMR vaccination and the onset of ASD.