3 ms·
> anonymity of the reviewer I review my colleague's code every week. Yet it seems they are not out to get me and actually thank me for the feedback. Why doesn
by danuker 5y ago
> anonymity of the reviewer
I review my colleague's code every week. Yet it seems they are not out to get me and actually thank me for the feedback.
Why doesn't the same apply to scientific research? Why do reviewers want to be anonymous?
- endominus 5y agoDifferent incentives, I assume? Otherwise, it would be easier to form insular groups promoting questionable science, especially in the softer sciences. Tit-for-tat reviewing, promotion through citations, etc. While programmers (in companies with well-run engineering environments) are incentivized and rewarded for reviewing code, a group of them can't just form a cabal that mindlessly "approves" of each other's shitcode for long without someone finding out none of it actually works. The same is not true of a lot of science. See; 5-HTTLPR [0] Just a guess; I'm not plugged into the environment. [0]: https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/05/07/5-httlpr-a-pointed-review/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/05/07/5-httlpr-a-pointed-rev... is a good run-down of the controversy. TL;DR, a seratonin transporter gene was suspected to be involved in basically every mental issue and hundreds of papers were published in agreement. All of them are basically bullshit.