How to Identify Peer-Reviewed, Scholarly & Academic Articles

Suzanne van den Hoogen, MLISOctober 2015

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What is a peer-reviewed article?

• A peer-reviewed article is published in a peer-reviewed journal only after it has been subjected to multiple critiques by scholars in that field.

• Peer-reviewed journals follow this procedure to make sure that published articles reflect solid scholarship and advance the state of knowledge in a discipline.

• These articles present the best and most authoritative information that disciplines have to offer. Also, through the careful use of citations, a peer-reviewed article allows anyone who reads it to examine the bases of the claims made in the article. Peer-reviewed articles lead to many articles in a chain of information.

Robert E. Kennedy Library. (n.d.). What is a peer reviewed article? Retrieved October 8, 2014 from http://lib.calpoly.edu/support/how-to/find-articles/

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How can I tell if an article is scholarly or peer-reviewed?If your article displays several or all of the following characteristics, it is likely to be peer-reviewed:

Abstract – a summary or short description List of keywords Some description of research methodologyBibliographies -- cited works -- references FootnotesOriginal researchWritten by expert(s) in the field Few glossy pictures, if anyNo advertisementsReviewed by panel of peers Specialized vocabulary, i.e., language that is unique to the fieldArticle appears in a journal published by a learned society, for example, American

Psychological Association (APA)

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Popular• Magazines• Written by journalists, students,

popular authors, or no author listed• Flashy covers• Advertisements• Brief articles• Trade Journals: Business, Finance,

Industry (Written by experts, but may not be peer reviewed)

• Newspapers

Scholarly• Journals• Written by experts• Evaluated by experts: “Peer-Reviewed”• Authoritative Source• Usually include:– Credentials of the Author– Abstract– Bibliography– Specialized vocabulary– Reference List

Scholarly vs Popular Sources

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What is Peer-Review?

Peer-Review in

3 minutes

NCSU Library. (n.d.). Peer review in three minutes: How do articles get peer reviewed? What role does peer review play in scholarly research and publication? Retrieved on October 8, 2014 from http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/peerreview/

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Are scholarly and peer-reviewed articles the same thing?

• Peer-reviewed, academic and scholarly journals are related but NOT identical.

• Not all scholarly journals go through the peer-review process. However, one can assume that a peer-reviewed journal is scholarly.

Robert E. Kennedy Library. (n.d.). What is a peer reviewed article? Retrieved October 8, 2014 from http://lib.calpoly.edu/support/how-to/find-articles/

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How to Recognize a Scholarly Article

This short video from Vanderbilt University Library illustrates how to recognize scholarly articles.

Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeyR30Yq1tA#t=18

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Can the Library’s Catalogue & Databases help me Identify Peer-Reviewed Articles?

The short answer to this question is YES. The Library’s catalogue and some databases allow you to select for “peer-reviewed” results only. This can be very helpful, but beware: not all these results will be ARTICLES or peer-reviewed content. Some items may be book reviews or editorials; these are not subjected to the same level of critique.

If you are not sure if an article is peer-reviewed,

Ask a Librarian for help.

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Selecting Peer Reviewed articles from the Library Catalogue

1. Enter your search terms in the Library’s main search box. Select SEARCH

2. Select Peer-reviewed from the left hand column to refine your results

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Selecting Peer Reviewed articles from Library Databases

ERIC & ProQuest Databases

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For more information…

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