Why are authors and reviewers double blind?
There are two advantages to the double-blind system. First, reviewers are more likely to positively evaluate articles from well-known authors, so blinding helps limit this bias. Second, authors and reviewers might find their roles reversed in the future. An author submitting a paper today could be serving as a reviewer tomorrow, and those responsibilities might include evaluating individuals who have previously commented on his or her work. The field is small enough that reviewers might reward those who have been favorable to their work and punish those who have been unfavorable. Both responses seriously compromise the integrity of the review process.
There are two advantages to the double-blind system. First, reviewers are more likely to positively evaluate articles from well-known authors, so it helps limit such bias. Second, authors and reviewers might find their roles reversed in the future. An author submitting a paper today could be serving as a reviewer tomorrow, and those responsibilities might include evaluating individuals who have previously commented on his or her work. The field is small enough that reviewers might reward those who have been favorable to their work and punish those who have been unfavorable. Both responses seriously compromise the integrity of review process.
