Impact of institutional affiliation bias in the peer review process

Abstract

Peer review is a cornerstone of scientific advancement, intended to provide an unbiased evaluation of research originality, rigour and merit. While this process is intended to be impartial, increasing scrutiny has focused on the adequacy and fairness of the peer review process across various scientific fields. Questions regarding the reliability, accountability, potential reviewer bias and competence of peer reviewers have been raised. Despite these concerns, there has been very little empirical research directly addressing these issues.