I am amazed to learn from the letter by Lance Williams (Physics Today, Physics Today 0031-9228 60 11 2007 12 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2812105 November 2007, page 12 ) that any academic journal would have only a single-blind referee process.
After finishing a postdoc in physics long ago, I went to trade school and learned how to practice medicine, which I have been doing ever since. I can assure you that the majority of physicians understand the scientific value of double-blind over single-blind evaluations of drugs. And those who don’t use double-blind procedures often have a financial interest in the product they are evaluating. Is the accuracy of physics publications somehow not as important? Shouldn’t physics and physicists have the highest standards, or perhaps even set the standards? Even old general practitioners who think “physics” is a quaint plural term for laxatives can tell you that single-blind evaluations are not worth much.
Are any of you physicists embarrassed by this practice?
