摘要：Evaluating scientific research has always been difficult. The peer-review process, which has been the mainstay of science evaluation for nearly a century, takes time, expertise, and no small amount of resources to do properly. But several trends in scientific research have made this process even more challenging. The sheer number of scientific publications produced per year has been growing at an exponential rate for over fifty years [ 1 , 2 ] and has shown no sign of slowing down anytime soon. These publications are also growing increasingly technical and specialized, making qualified reviewers more and more difficult to find. Finally, the glut of researchers in the biomedical pipeline combined with the recent recession have resulted in a larger number of researchers competing for a shrinking pool of available research funds [ 3 ]. Evaluating scientific research in this context is becoming not only increasingly difficult, but also increasingly important to ensure that the right researchers receive promotions and funding to continue their work.
