It’s not always easy to spot flaws in research papers. Sometimes an error is glaringly obvious - like a vague abstract with no aim and little data - and other times it’s like finding a needle in a stack of pins. . Luckily, the solution isn’t all that prickly. The trick is knowing what to look for during peer review, where to find it and, importantly, how severe the error is.

To help with this, we’ve pulled together a list of six common flaws you can watch out for as a reviewer.

1. Inappropriate study design for the study aims
2. Deviating from standard/best practice and methodologies
3. Over-interpretation of results
4. Commenting beyond the scope of the article
5. Lack of evidence to support conclusions
6. Too many words