The Process of Peer Review

[tongodeon]

Followup to my post about global warming skepticism specifically and scientific skepticism in general. If someone discovers anomalous data supposedly correcting, modifying, or outright disproving a theory it is important to ask the following questions:

• Have the data and claims been accepted for publication in a reputable, professional, peer-

Comments

[mmcirvin]

One result of emphasizing peer review has been that organized groups of cranks, especially those who have some political support, attempt to imitate the phenomenon. They start their own journals within the tendency or get one or two papers into marginal existing ones, and then announce that they've broken the peer-review barrier and should be taken seriously. Feynman would recognize this as cargo-cult-science behavior: some of the trappings but none of the sensibility.

[tongodeon]

Ah yes. I forgot the adjective reputable.