Blockchain and Its Application in the Peer Review of Scientific Works: A Systematic Review

Cristian Hugo Morales-Alarcón (), Elba Bodero-Poveda, Henry Mauricio Villa-Yánez and Pamela Alexandra Buñay-Guisñan
Additional contact information
Cristian Hugo Morales-Alarcón: Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Análisis Económico y Estrategia Empresarial, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de La Coruña, La Coruña-España 060104, Ecuador
Elba Bodero-Poveda: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo (UNACH), Riobamba 060101, Ecuador
Henry Mauricio Villa-Yánez: Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Administrativas, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo (UNACH), Riobamba 060101, Ecuador
Pamela Alexandra Buñay-Guisñan: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo (UNACH), Riobamba 060101, Ecuador

Publications, 2024, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that ensures the security and transparency of data, guaranteeing that they cannot be altered. Its application in the peer review of scientific papers can contribute to improving the integrity, transparency, and efficiency of the process, mitigating issues of manipulation and fraud. This work analyzes the contributions of various research studies that address the use of blockchain technology in peer review. The study is a systematic literature review (SLR) in which the PRISMA methodology was applied. Fifty primary studies were identified through searches in databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, IEEE Xplore, and ACM. The analyzed research reveals innovative approaches, such as decentralized solutions, smart contracts, and token economy, to address challenges like biases, transparency, and speed in the review process. It is concluded that the use of blockchain in peer review processes is still emerging and has not yet been widely adopted globally. However, studies addressing this topic focus on its potential to improve transparency and trust in the process, offer incentives and rewards to reviewers and authors, enhance the quality and fairness of evaluations, and strengthen the security and privacy of the data involved.

Keywords: peer review; blockchain; scientific research; transparency; SLR (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A2 D83 L82 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/12/4/40/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/12/4/40/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:12:y:2024:i:4:p:40-:d:1516753

Access Statistics for this article

Publications is currently edited by Ms. Jennifer Zhang

More articles in Publications from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().