Reading 47 — Read an Academic Passage

Peer review is a process used by many academic journals to evaluate research before publication. After a manuscript is submitted, editors usually send it to specialists in the same field. These reviewers assess the study’s methods, reasoning, and contribution, and they may recommend acceptance, revision, or rejection. Peer review can improve a paper by identifying unclear arguments or methodological weaknesses. However, it is not a guarantee that every published conclusion is correct. Reviewers may disagree, important errors can be missed, and new evidence can later challenge earlier findings. Scientific knowledge therefore develops through continuing testing and debate, not through publication alone.

Question: Who usually reviews a submitted manuscript?