What is
Peer Review?

Peer review is the foundation of scholarly publishing. It is the process by which reports about research findings are critically assessed by experts in the same field before they are published. Its aim? To ensure accuracy, originality, integrity—and ultimately, trust.

Peer Review 101

The basics of peer review—plus the infrastructure and evolution behind it

Peer review is more than a quality checkpoint—it’s the process that helps determine what becomes part of the formal record of science. Before reports about research findings are shared widely, they are assessed by experts who test their claims, question its assumptions, and refine their clarity.

This process plays a foundational role in shaping what we call the genealogy of knowledge—a traceable, evolving network of ideas and discoveries that builds layer by layer over time. It’s how we can look back to see where a concept began, how it was tested, and how it shaped what came next.

In an era shaped by AI and automation, this traceability matters more than ever. Peer-reviewed publishing ensures that we can understand—not just today, but decades from now—why we know what we know.

In this section, you’ll find an introduction to how peer review works: the different models in use, the infrastructure behind it, and how it continues to evolve to meet the needs of a changing research and publishing landscape.

A System Built Over Centuries

It took centuries of debate, refinement, and adaptation to shape the peer review processes we rely on now. From the 17th century to today—trace the evolution of how scientific ideas came to be assessed—not just by experts, but through structures built to uphold rigor and trust.

View highlights of the history of peer review→

Why Peer Review Matters

Peer review acts as a filter and a gatekeeper. It helps prevent the spread of flawed or misleading reports of research findings while guiding improvements that strengthen the final published work. Without it, the trust we place in scientific and scholarly literature would erode.

At its best, peer review doesn’t just filter—it strengthens, clarifies, and refines.

 


82% of researchers say peer review improves the quality of their work.
—Springer Nature Author Survey, 2022

 

Preparing Researchers to Review

Peer review doesn’t just happen—it’s taught. Publishers play an active role in equipping researchers to serve as skilled, ethical reviewers.

Take the ACS Reviewer Lab, a free, on-demand training developed by the American Chemical Society. Designed by editors and researchers, the course walks learners through real-world scenarios, from spotting conflicts of interest to evaluating significance and technical quality.

Explore the ACS Reviewer Lab →

Peer Review Models

Peer review helps ensure reports about research findings are credible, rigorous, and worthy of publication. But not all peer review works the same way. Different models reflect varying approaches to transparency, anonymity, and timing—each with its own strengths, challenges, and growing experimentation across disciplines.

The Language of Peer Review—Standardized

Peer review is a cornerstone of scholarly publishing. This STM/NISO framework introduces a clear, shared vocabulary for describing the various aspects of how it works—supporting transparency and helping everyone from authors to readers understand the key terms used in the process.

Download it here →

In this model, the reviewers know the identity of the author(s), but the author(s) do not know who reviewed their work. This structure is designed to encourage honest, constructive critique by shielding reviewers from potential influence or pressure.

Here, both the authors and the reviewers are anonymized to each other. This method seeks to minimize biases related to authors’ affiliations, gender, or geographic origin, promoting a more impartial evaluation of the manuscript’s content.

Open peer review encompasses various models where the identities of the authors and reviewers may be disclosed, and review reports may be published alongside the article. This approach fosters transparency, accountability, and open dialogue within the scholarly community.

In this model, the evaluation of the research report continues after publication, often through public comments, discussions, or formal critiques. Post-publication review allows for ongoing scrutiny and discourse, complementing traditional pre-publication peer review processes.

A Brief History of Peer Review

Peer review didn’t just emerge—it was built, debated, and refined over centuries of scholarly exchange.

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The Path of a Submitted Manuscript

Peer-reviewed publication involves more than a single decision. Reviewers evaluate, editors consider, authors may revise. See how research moves through this multi-step process.

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