Non-peer-reviewed research



Virtually all published scientific research goes through the process of peer review, whereby a number of experts in the relevant field check a manuscript for flaws in experimental design, reasoning, and methodology. This is a crucial step to ensure that flawed research does not permeate the literature and mislead fellow scientists (although see BLANK for a discussion of this issue).

Rationale
Given the what was stressed above, why does this site allow non-peer-reviewed research to be cited? This is primarily done to increase reporting of null or seemingly irrelevant results. Indeed, the failure to publish such results is exceptionally common and very detrimental to the field (REFS). However, this failure is also quite understandable. Most null results can only be published in a low-tier journal, thus yielding little benefit to the researcher (in the form of grant money, tenure, etc.). Additionally, a fair amount of effort needs to be invested in the manuscript for it to be publishable. Thus, the costs often outweight the benefits, and the research is not published.

On this site, much less effort is needed. A simple paragraph of the study's findings is all that is required (although more is always better). MORE.

Considerations
Of course, with the ease of reporting comes the potential for abuse. Additionally, the availability of such unfiltered information could lead to a fiasco if misreported in the media.