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Reader question: What does it mean when they say someone’s work is “outstanding by peer review”? Peer review? My comments: Peer review literally means review by one’s peers. It’s the opinion of one’s fellow practitioners, in other words. Therefore, if your work is considered outstanding by peer review, it means people of your profession think your work is very good, outstanding actually meaning better then most. Peers, you see, are people who share the same qualities as your own. A review, of course, is an examination and assessment on something, usually an academic piece of work, on whether it is any good. Peer review is the expert opinion of the people who share your profession or interest. I say expert opinion because their opinion means something because as fellow professionals, they know what you’re doing and they know what they’re talking about – or supposedly so. Opinions of people from a different trade, on the other hand, may not count as much. If you are a biochemist, for example, then other biochemists from your own organization and other organizations, such as universities or colleges are your peers. Linguists and mathematicians from your organization and others on the other hand are not considered your peers. Hence, their view may not mean much because they’re not supposed to know a lot about your field of work. Anyways, the long and short of it is, if your work is considered outstanding by your peers, via peer review, if means a lot. It means your colleagues and fellow practitioners all approve of your effort. | 
