peer reviews

8 Stories

43 'Fake' Science Articles May Point to Wider Problem

BioMed Central debacle apparently caused by third-party services

(Newser) - A science publisher in Britain has retracted 43 scientific papers after learning that the peer-review process behind them was fake—possibly pointing to a wider problem in science publishing, the Washington Post reports via Smithsonian . BioMed Central, which has 277 peer-reviewed journals, says it initially received convincing peer review reports...

Bogus Study Fools 157 Science Journals

Author says it shows huge flaws in 'open-access' system

(Newser) - An investigation into the world of so-called "open-access" scientific journals has turned up, well, not much scientific credibility. Inspired by colleagues who'd come across some dodgy-looking journals, John Bohannon made up a study describing the anticancer properties of a chemical, then shipped it to 304 open-access journals. (These...

PR Firms in Full-Out Assault on Online Reviewers

Firms fight to shape what's being said about their brands

(Newser) - It isn't just Yelp, now the object of a class-action lawsuit, that's accused of manipulating those supposedly spontaneous grass-roots reviews popping up all over the Internet. Public relations companies are working overtime to shape online, word-of-mouth marketing to benefit their clients. The arena is becoming a battleground as companies strive...

AIDS Vaccine Data Overstated
 AIDS Vaccine Data Overstated 
Oct 20, 2009 2:36 PM CDT

AIDS Vaccine Data Overstated

Much-hyped Thai results statistically insignificant, researchers say

(Newser) - The data from last month’s much-hyped Thai AIDS vaccine trial are actually statistically insignificant, according to a secondary analysis published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The original results from the trial, which included more than 16,000 people, concluded that the vaccine reduced infections by a...

G20 Near Deal to Open Economies to Scrutiny

'Peer review' system will let nations assess each other's policies

(Newser) - The G20 is on the brink of a deal this morning that will require members to "peer review" one another's economic policies—a substantial shift that will expose the US and China to wider scrutiny from less wealthy countries. The new top table for international negotiation wants less American...

It's Official: New Orleans Will Never Be the Same

(Newser) - Even if the government somehow managed to re-create pre-Katrina New Orleans, it couldn't guarantee the safety of the city and its residents, according to a new report. The Army Corps of Engineers is rebuilding levees in anticipation of a “100-year storm,” but for a city of New Orleans’...

Gates Gambles Big on Bold Medical Probes

$10M in public-health grants eschew peer review for innovation

(Newser) - The Gates Foundation has awarded more than $10 million to medical researchers with quirky ideas that might not be funded otherwise, the Washington Post reports. The initiative, dubbed Grand Challenges Explorations, offered a simple 2-page application and vetting by entrepreneurs, not medical professionals. “Peer review—by definition almost—excludes...

Online Dating Sites Seek Love's Secret Algorithm

Peer review of jealously guarded formulas proves impossible

(Newser) - Online matchmakers eHarmony and Match.com have staked millions on the idea that they, not you, can best find your perfect match, thanks to their secret algorithms. So do they work? Lots of academics want to know, the New York Times reports, but while the companies yearn for scientific, peer-reviewed...

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