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Athletic Training Program: What is Peer-Review?

Features of a Peer-Reviewed Article

When you are determining whether or not the article you found is a peer-reviewed article, you should consider the following.

Does the article have the following features?

Image of the first page of a peer-reviewed article. These items are highlighted: Been published in a scholarly journal. An overall serious, thoughtful tone. More than 10 pages in length (usually, but not always). An abstract (summary) on the first page. Organization by headings such as Introduction, Literature Review, and Conclusion. Citations throughout and a bibliography or reference list at the end. Credentialed authors, usually affiliated with a research institute or university.

Also consider...

  • Is the journal in which you found the article published or sponsored by a professional scholarly society, professional association, or university academic department? Does it describe itself as a peer-reviewed publication? (To know that, check the journal's website). 
  • Did you find a citation for it in one of the  databases that includes scholarly publications? (ABI Inform, Academic Search Complete,  etc.)?  Read the database description to see if it includes scholarly publications.
  • In the database, did you limit your search to peer-reviewed publications? 
  • Is the topic of the article narrowly focused and explored in depth?
  • Is the article based on either original research or authorities in the field (as opposed to personal opinion)?
  • Is the article written for readers with some prior knowledge of the subject?
  • If your field is social or natural science, is the article divided into sections with headings such as those listed below?
  • Introduction
  • Theory or Background
  • Methods
  • Discussion
  • Literature review
  • Subjects
  • Results
  • Conclusion

Peer-Review Process

Peer Review Process This is a continuing cycle. Author writes article and submits to journal. Editor sends copy to peers (experts in the field) for reviewing. This is usually a blind process. The peer reviewers check the manuscript for accuracy and assess the validity of the research methodology and procedures. Their goal is to find any gaps in reasoning and to ensure nothing has been overlooked. The article is returned to the editor along with recommendations to either reject, revise, or accept it. The editor sends the article back to the author along with the reviewers’ feedback and requests for revisions. After the article is revised it will have to be resubmitted for publication. Paper accepted and published, then usually listed in databases for other researchers to find and read, to inform their writing. Back to Author writes article and submits to journal. The cycle continues.

 

What is Peer Review? (1m48s) by the University of Guleph Library

Peer Reviewed Articles

What does peer review mean?

Peer review is a process by which a scholarly work is checked by a group of experts in the same field to make sure it meets the necessary standards before it is published or accepted. Peer reviewing may also be called refereeing.

The high standard of quality set by article reviewers results in the highest quality scholarly articles. Using these high quality sources will improve the quality of your own work.


What is a scholarly journal? Is it the same as a peer reviewed journal?  

While the terms "peer-review" and "scholarly" are often used simultaneously, they are not the same thing.

Scholarly journals are essentially a place for researchers to publish studies and original works in a dedicated field. Not all scholarly journals make the peer-review process a condition for publication.

Scholarly journals that do not have a peer-review process are less common, but they do exist.  

How do I know if something is peer reviewed?   

  • Some databases such as CINAHL will give you the option to limit search results to peer review articles. Look for the option to limit to a review article on a databases search page.
  • Most journals in PubMed are peer reviewed, therefore there is no option to limit your search to peer reviewed articles. 
  • Also, you can check the website a of journal to see if it's editorial policy includes peer review. You can always check with a librarian or professor if you are unsure.
  • There are some items that are never considered peer reviewed even if they are published inside a journal that uses a peer review process. Those items include:
    • Letters to the editor
    • Opinion articles
    • Book reviews/Product reviews

Additionally, you can look up the journal in the library's Publication Finder: 

  1. On the Library homepage, click on Journals.
  2. In the search box, type in the name of the journal (not the article title).  
  3. When you find the journal you are looking for and see the phrase "Peer Reviewed", you can rest assured that the journal is a peer reviewed journal.