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Where did the idea of peer review come from?
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The idea of peer review is a relatively recent development. Before the 19th century, academic research was largely ad hoc, with no central organization or oversight. The first peer reviewed journal was founded in 1887. The idea of peer review is that a group of experts in a particular field review the work of a researcher and provide feedback on the quality of the research. This helps to ensure that the research is of high quality and that it is not biased or fraudulent.