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Researching tips - Finding peer reviewed journal articles
Why do I need peer reviewed material?
In the academic world, peer-reviewed journals are preferable to popular magazines for finding information. They may appear in print, a combination of
print and electronic forms, or only in electronic form.
A peer reviewed journal is one in which the articles have been examined by people with credentials in the article's field of study before it is
published. Peer reviewed publications (often entitled Journal, Review or Research) are produced specifically for academics, scholars and
professionals, unlike popular magazines found in newsagents and supermarkets. There are clear differences between the two:
Element |
Peer reviewed |
Popular |
| Editorial |
Features a listing of an editorial board |
No editorial board listing |
| Appearance |
Text with charts and illustrations |
Glossy with many advertisements |
| Author |
Always identified and professional credentials cited |
Often not identified; staff or freelance reporter |
| Content |
Often original findings or theory on specific research; source references always cited |
Usually informal in nature, without specifying sources |
| Purpose |
To enhance the field of research |
To entertain, inform, express a view, to sell a product |
| Terminology |
Specialised, assuming prior knowledge |
Simple, assuming no prior knowledge |
How do I know if a journal article is peer reviewed?
Peer-reviewed journals can be identified by their editorial statements or instructions to authors (usually in first few pages of the journal or at the
end).
Some databases also have the ability to limit your search results, or indicate if an article is from a "peer-reviewed" or "refereed" journal.
Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory allows you to check whether a journal is peer-reviewed.
Scholarly or peer-reviewed articles usually contain section headings like these:
- Abstract and Keywords - the abstract and keywords may be added by an editor or publisher.
- Introduction and Statement of the Problem - identifies the need for the work, and the research question.
- Review of the Literature - the literature review should identify the major works of other researchers and identify theories and lines of thought.
- Methodology - explains the methods so others can replicate the study.
- Data Collection - the data collection and analysis discuss the particular work being reported.
- Analysis - examines the data by qualitative or quantitative means, states whether the research question or hypothesis was proven or disproved.
- Conclusions and Recommendations - the final section provides a theory about the results, identifies any obvious flaws in the work, and provides suggestions for follow-up research.
- References - includes a comprehensive list of references
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- Finding peer reviewed journal articles
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