Which of the following are least likely to be confirmed during the peer review process?

Question

a. Significance of the findings (the importance of the findings)

b. Authenticity of the data (if the data has not been falsified)

c. Originality of the ideas (if the ideas were from the scientist and not copied from others)

d. Validity of the study (the logic behind the study)

Answer 1

Hi Courtney K.,

Maybe your trouble with this question has to do with how the choices were paraphrased. In particular, peer reviewers will jump right on gaps in the logic behind a study, gaps in the references to prior work, and in overstating the significance of the results (which accounts for why papers so frequently end with: "and further study is indicated to confirm and extend further"). But Authenticity ... Ah!

It's difficult to detect deliberate fraud.

then there are also those who claim to have found fraud, without any evidence (witness recent political theater in the 2020 elections et seq.)

-- Cheers, -- Mr. d.