Peer-Reviewed or Refereed
Peer-reviewed journals publish articles that have been reviewed by experts in the field. These highly respected experts (peers, referees, reviewers) read the submitted article and decide if it is acceptable for publication.
If the article is acceptable, peer-reviewers may suggest changes or corrections. Peer-reviewed articles are also known as refereed articles; generally these are found in scholarly journals. Not all scholarly journal articles are peer-reviewed, however. Additionally, one may occasionally find peer-reviewed articles in professional journals.
Need to know if your journal is peer-reviewed? Some of the library's databases will have a peer-reviewed limiter.
The Serials Directory will also tell you if your journal is peer-reviewed.
What type of article do you need? A scholarly journal article? General/magazine article? A newspaper article? Sources below provide access to all of these.
| Scholarly Journals | |
|---|---|
| Appearance |
Generally have a sober, serious look. May contain graphs and charts, but will have few photographs or ads. Use scholarly language specific to the profession or field. |
| Audience |
Academics, researchers, professionals. |
| Authors |
Researchers or scholars in the field. |
| Content |
Original scholarly research for a particular profession, field, or subject. |
| References |
Will almost always include a list of citations, Works Cited, or Bibliography. |
| Also Called |
Academic, peer-reviewed, juried, refereed. Scholarly journals that are reviewed by experts are called peer-reviewed, juried, or refereed. Not all scholarly journals are peer-reviewed. |
| General Magazines | |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Color photographs, visually appealing, ads. |
| Audience | General public. |
| Author | Staff or freelance writer. |
| Content | Current events and special features. |
| References | Rarely cite sources. |
| Also Called | Popular magazines. |