What is the primary function of the peer review process in research?

The primary function of the peer review process is to ensure quality and credibility before publication. This process involves subjecting research findings to the scrutiny of experts in the same field, who evaluate the work for its validity, significance, and originality. Peer review helps to identify any potential flaws in the research design, methodology, or interpretation of the results, ensuring that only high-quality research is published. By maintaining rigorous standards, peer review fosters trust in scientific literature and allows researchers to build upon reliable findings.

While enhancing visibility of research findings and standardizing research methods are important aspects of the academic community, they are not the core purpose of peer review. Additionally, the peer review process does not provide funding for research studies; funding typically comes from grants, institutions, or other sources unrelated to the peer review itself.