Why is peer review important?

Peer review helps to ensure the quality of published research by having it scrutinized by several experts who work in the field the research relates to. These reviewers can then identify mistakes, errors, inconsistencies, or biases that exist in the research and findings. These experts can then also make recommendations on how it can be rectified or improved.

• It validates the research and findings

The peer review process validates research and findings by evaluating the materials and stating that they meet the standards of the academic or scientific community that the research has been performed in. Reviewers can then validate that the research and findings are relevant, well-conceived, and valuable to the field.

• It improves the research and findings

Reviewers can also help to improve the research of their colleagues in the peer review process.They can do this by giving the author feedback, in the form of strengths and weaknesses, and then the author can then use this criticism and praise to refine the research further.

The author might make changes to their arguments, clarify their methods, and enhance the overall quality of the research.

• It helps to disseminate knowledge

The peer review process is crucial to the further dissemination of knowledge in a specific field and sometimes to the advancement within the field as well. Research and findings that have been peer reviewed are more likely to be circulated in the academic field or scientific community in which they stem from.

Peer reviewed works are considered to be of high-credilbility, integrity, and value. They then can go on to become standardized academic literature in certain cases.