The process of peer review is crucial in the development of a scientific paper and its publication. The scientists that conducted the research first select a journal to submit to based on a number of factors, such as the topic of the journal and any personal connections a researcher may have to it. Once the first draft is complete, it is sent to the journal’s editor. The editor decides whether the paper and research are at a reasonable enough level to warrant sending it to peer reviewers; the reviewers can be selected randomly (within reason, as the reviewers have to have at least some knowledge of the topic the research is investigating), or reviewers can be suggested by the scientists submitting the work. The peer review process can be open, single-blind (the reviewers know the scientists who did the research, but the scientists do not know the reviewers), or double-blind (neither the reviewers nor the scientists know who the other is). The reviewers analyze the paper and may provide suggestions on how to make the paper better, or the overall research that was conducted. After review, the paper may be sent back to the scientists for revision; if the paper is sufficient enough as deemed by the reviewers, it is sent back to the journal for final approval, where it can then be published. Peer review is important because it provides the opportunity to examine data/findings and make sure they are credible before being released to the public, and also allows people from many different backgrounds to examine the research and find ways to make it more accessible to the public, or just the scientific community. However, peer review can be difficult or cumbersome to get through if the reviewers are biased towards the researchers for whatever reason, and the reviewer may also be a competitor for the scientists submitting the paper.
