PeerRef is a journal-independent open peer review platform for all research.

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Who we are

PeerRef is a journal-independent open peer review platform. We help researchers to verify, improve and expand research by organising peer review for their preprints. We are reducing the barriers to accessing peer review, using tools to select referees, and publishing signed peer review reports on our platform. This new concept, a single point of peer review, will provide publishers with verified preprints. Editors can assess these for journal fit and then publish immediately. This will accelerate research by reducing peer review at multiple journals. PeerRef is increasing trust in research with open peer review and revolutionising the publishing process by creating a single point of peer review.

Visit our site and find us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dr Elliott Lumb is the founder of PeerRef and responsible for its operations.

Our evaluation model

Referees peer review preprints with a focus on academic rigour, not perceived impact. Referees are responsible for making the final decisions on manuscripts — PeerRef does not make editorial decisions. All review reports are published by PeerRef, regardless of the referee's decision. PeerRef’s evaluation process is as follows:

  1. Authors request peer review for their preprint
  2. PeerRef identifies and invites suitable referees
  3. Referees complete a peer review form and select one of three decisions: verified manuscript, verified with reservations, or requires revisions
  4. Authors address revisions in a response to the referees. Referees can change their decision on the manuscript

Author Options

Referees make the decisions on manuscripts, but authors determine what happens to the preprint following the evaluation.

  • Share the refereed manuscript with the community
  • Submit the manuscript to a partner journal
  • Submit the manuscript and consolidated review reports to any journal editor for consideration

Read about our evaluation model on our site.

PReF

The Preprint Review Features (PReF) describes key elements of each group’s evaluation activities.

Read the paper to learn about PReF.

Review requested by
Authors
Reviewer selected by
Editor, service, or community
Public interaction
No
Inclusion of author response
Yes
Decision
Other scale or rating
Review coverage
Complete paper
Reviewer identity known to
Public
Competing interests
Displayed

Content license

The content of review reports, author responses and other comments on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.