2006-10-02 14:53:10 · 3 answers · asked by billybobjr. 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Part of the reputation of a journal is its review board. These are people who are extremely well educated in your field (PhD.s), and who can evaluate your paper for rigor and validity before it gets published. They also determine if there is sufficient detail about your methods for others to be able to reproduce your study or experiment. This acts as a huge filter against nonsense (although occasionally some nonsense gets through).
Secondly, once published, your paper will have to have enough detail for others to reproduce your results, or at least, to find flaws in your methods or conclusions. Hundreds to thousands of colleagues (depending on the circulation of the journal), can pick your study apart looking for flaws.
The result is that those studies that do survive this brutal process, have a pretty good chance of being solid. The proces provides little room for favoritism or advantage ... it evaluates the validity of your results objectively.
2006-10-02 15:13:47 · answer #1 · answered by secretsauce 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because before an article is accepted by a reputable journal it is subjected to peer review. Usually at least three, sometimes up to six individuals qualified in the subject matter of the article will read the article, comment on it, criticize it, and make recommendations. The authors will often have to rewrite parts of the article, correct errors or omissions in their research, obtain additional data, etc. before the journal will accept the article for publication.
2006-10-02 22:14:43 · answer #2 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The concept of peer-review.
The paper has to be submitted to an anonymous group of similar professionals. For example, a biological expert on mammals would not be reviewed by chemists...his paper would be reviewed by other experts in his field.
Once published, the paper is then available for testing and/or replication by others, who may also present papers supporting or opposing the view of the original paper.
This is a part of the scientific process, and while not perfect, it works very well.
2006-10-03 00:33:47 · answer #3 · answered by RjKardo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋