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A cornerstone of scientific publishing is peer review, where journal editors seek the opinions of one or more experts before accepting or rejecting a paper. Ideally, the process offers an unbiased assessment of a study’s merits and suggestions for making it better. An emerging form of peer review that de-anonymizes reviewers has the intent of increasing transparency and accountability, but a new study on the circumstances under which reviewers choose to reveal their identities suggests it could instead encourage biased critiques.
The norm for peer-reviewed papers has long been an anonymous process where the identities of those reviewing are protected with the aim of encouraging candid reviews. Over the past decade, some open science advocates, who favor a move toward greater transparency and accessibility of scientific knowledge through means such as open data tools and open access journals, have also lobbied for open peer review (OPR), ...
