The changing forms and expectations of peer review

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Scholarly Communication
• Scientific Publishing

Background:

• The integrity and quality of scientific literature are under scrutiny due to rising concerns about research fraud and irreproducibility.
• The scientific community is debating science's capacity for self-regulation, with peer review identified as a critical mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze the diverse forms of scientific peer review and the underlying concerns driving their development.
• To examine the evolution of peer review practices in response to technological advancements and the pursuit of enhanced research integrity.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive review of the scientific literature on peer review.
• Inclusion of recent developments based on information from editors and publishers.
• Analysis of the rationale behind new peer review forms and their implementation.

Main Results:

• A systematization of various discussed peer review forms is presented.
• The study details the emergence of the expectation that peer review can uphold the integrity of the scientific record.
• Tensions in the academic debate regarding the responsibilities and capabilities of peer review systems are highlighted.

Conclusions:

• The current landscape of scientific peer review is characterized by diverse forms, each addressing specific challenges in scholarly publishing.
• The increasing expectation for peer review to guarantee scientific integrity creates significant debate about its actual capabilities and responsibilities.