peer review orig. U.S.
[f. peer n. + review n.]
1. The evaluation, by experts, in the relevant field, of a scientific research project for which a grant is sought.
| 1971 Hastings Center Rep. i. June 3 (heading) Priorities, peer review and public policy. 1975 Nature 4 Dec. 382/1 At the heart of the inquiry is the so-called peer-review system, which is used in some shape or form by virtually every government agency which supports academic research. 1977 Listener 7 Apr. 427/3 In the relatively public competition between rival research groups seeking financial support, there is no practical alternative to ‘peer review’ by committees of experts in the relevant fields. 1984 UCL Bull. July 5/2 Peer-review is not just a formal process when one is working at CERN. It starts long before a proposal reaches the peer-review committees which allocate time on the machines. |
2. The process by which a learned journal passes a paper received for publication to outside experts for their comments on its suitability and worth; refereeing.
| 1975 New England Jrnl. Med. 25 Dec. 1372/1 In many departments of this Journal..the reader will find reports that have passed the muster of peer review. Usually two, but occasionally three or four, experts on the topic of an article will be asked to evaluate its validity, originality and presentation. 1977 Nature 20 Jan. 203/1 It has been said that the warp that holds the complex fabric of science together is peer review, and the woof is the noise made by scientists who complain about it. Ibid. 203/3 Publishing a book is a way of avoiding peer review. |
3. gen. An examination or review of commercial, professional, or academic efficiency, competence, etc., by others in the same occupation.
| 1979 Financial Times 26 Feb. 4/1 Peer reviews involve a complete examination of the procedures and practices adopted by accounting firms auditing companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. 1981 Times Higher Educ. Suppl. 5 June 2/4 We recommend that there should be a peer review of all the departments at Chelsea..with a view to phasing out those which do not come up to the standard of the rest of the university. 1983 Times 16 July 3/3 There are teachers who are perfectly capable of judging their own performance,..but some are not able to, and then we will have to bring in some sort of peer review. |
Hence ˈpeer-review v. trans., to subject to peer review; to referee (a paper); ˈpeer-reviewed ppl. a.; ˌpeer reˈviewing vbl. n.
| 1975 Nature 4 Dec. 382/1 Most of the rest are reviewed by a panel only, frequently with the applicant along to discuss his proposals, while a few are not peer-reviewed at all. 1982 Behavioral & Brain Sciences V. 218/2 (heading) Peer reviewing: improve or be rejected. 1983 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 8 Oct. 1004/1 How many of their readers realise that usually these [letters] have not been peer reviewed? 1985 Arch. Surg. CXX. 885/1 A good ‘peer-reviewed’ scientific journal. |