Peer Review Week – Trust in Peer Review

Monday, 21 – Friday, 25 September 2020

This year’s Peer Review Week (PRW), a yearly event led by academic publishers and societies, as well as other scholarly organizations, is dedicated to “Trust in Peer Review.” During the week of September 21 – 25, participating organizations will highlight the critical role of peer review in research with a week of virtual events and activities.

The importance of reliable scholarly publications has rarely been as public or pressing as now, with the world in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining trust in the peer review decision-making process is paramount if we are to solve the world’s most pressing problems. This global, week-long event will shine a light on how the peer review process works and why it helps build trust in research.

“Research contributions — on climate change, poverty, disease, or any of the other challenges we face — have an important impact on people’s lives. It’s vital for researchers, the public, and policymakers to know whether and, if so, how the research they’re relying on has been evaluated and tested,” says Phil Hurst of The Royal Society, co-chair of the Peer Review Week steering group.

“Every year, Peer Review Week puts a spotlight on the essential work that often goes on behind the scenes, yet plays a critical role in ensuring accuracy in the scientific and research process. By drawing attention to the issue of ‘trust’ we hope that this year’s PRW will stimulate discussions and further initiatives that will ultimately lead to strengthening the scientific record,” says Lou Peck of The International Bunch, Phil’s co-chair.

In this time of uncertainty, ensuring that peer review is trustworthy has never been more urgent. We invite all scholarly and scientific societies, researchers, editors, publishers, libraries, universities, funders, and anyone interested in the advancement of high-quality research to join us during Peer Review Week for this celebration and learning experience.