Journal Check
You can use Ulrich's database to check and make sure that your article is coming from a peer-reviewed journal. Make sure you search the journal title, or the ISSN, not the title of the article. Look for the "refereed" shirt to indicate peer-review. Still unsure? We are here to help!
- UlrichsWeb Global Serials Directory This link opens in a new windowDirectory of periodicals with information on peer-reviewed status, database availability, publisher, country, ISSN, start year, and active/inactive status.
While we tend to use these terms interchangeably in academia, they are not exactly the same. Scholarly is indicative of the audience the material is intended for, as opposed to the general consumer, or popular, audience.
Peer-reviewed is directly related to the editorial process (see diagram below).
Because of this small difference, an article can be considered scholarly without being peer-reviewed.
Who qualifies as a peer?
Any expert in the field of study can be considered a peer. They are usually either professionals or academic professors.
What do they review?
In addition to reading the article for comprehension, reviewers will evaluate content including whether data is consistent with summaries and arguments. They will make notes of any bias or "hidden agendas." They will also check reference entries for quality and findability.
How long does it take?
The whole process can take several months, and many articles will go through a double blind review - two different sets of evaluations! This ensures the information has been thoroughly checked for reliability.
Image taken from Understanding Science
A helpful table for determining whether your article is scholarly or not:
|
Characteristics |
Scholarly Articles |
Popular Magazine |
|
Appearance |
Sober and serious |
Attractive appearance |
|
Audience |
Scholars and students |
General audience |
|
Authors |
Scholars in the field of study |
Reporters, usually not experts on the subject |
|
Documentation |
Sources cited in footnotes and/or bibliography |
Sources not cited or cited informally |
|
Purpose |
Report results of original research or experimentation |
Provide general information |
|
Article Acceptance |
Many (but not all*) scholarly journals are "refereed" or "peer review" journals - articles undergo a rigorous examination by other scholars in the field before being published. |
Written by hired reporters, edited by magazine editors, and published. |
|
Example journals |
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise |
Sports Illustrated |
|
Example articles |
