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'DIRTY WORK', BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT: HOWARD P. ROBERTSON AND THE REFEREEING PRACTICES OF PHYSICAL REVIEW IN THE
Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London
|July 9, 2016
Summary
Howard P. Robertson
Area of Science:
- History of Physics
- Scientific Communication
Background:
- Examines the refereeing process of Physical Review in the 1930s through the correspondence of mathematical physicist Howard P. Robertson.
- Investigates the journal's evolution into an influential physics periodical.
Discussion:
- Analyzes the historical evolution of refereeing practices within broader contextual changes.
- Explores the definition of a referee's role, required epistemic virtues, and journal functions.
- Highlights the tension between an idealized refereeing model and personal intellectual agendas.
Key Insights:
- Robertson's evaluation criteria were context-dependent, influenced by his intellectual agenda.
- Referees in the 1930s wielded significant power in shaping future research directions.
Outlook:
- Provides a case study for understanding the historical development of peer review in physics.
- Offers insights into the subjective nature of scientific evaluation and its impact on research trajectories.
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