What is Scholarly | Peer-Reviewed?
Most libraries subscribe to various types of periodicals, such as scholarly (some of which may be peer-reviewed, blind peer-reviewed, editorial review) popular, or trade publications. Choosing which to use depends on your topic, the type of writing you are doing, your assignment, and the sources your professor wants you to use. Many databases offer the option to limit to "Scholarly Journals" or "Peer Reviewed". If you're not sure if a journal is considered scholarly/peer-reviewed, check Ulrich's by looking up the title of the journal.
What is a peer-reviewed journal?
A scholarly journal is peer-reviewed when manuscripts are sent to experts, sometimes anonymously (blind peer-reviewed), in the related field. They make recommendations to editor for publication, rejection or revision. These journals are generally thought to be of the highest quality.
Is it Refereed/Peer-Reviewed?
To find out if a journal is considered Refereed/Peer-Reviewed, check the Ulrich's database by doing a search for the title of the journal. In case Ulrich's does not list a journal, another database that can also help with this is Serials Directory.
Many, but not all, of the research databases accessible from the Library allow searches to be limited to articles published in Scholary/Academic as well as Peer-Reviewed journals. If a database only has a "Scholarly" or Academic limiter/filter, keep in mind that refereed/peer-reviewed journals are a subset of scholarly journals, in other words not all scholarly journals are refereed/peer-reviewed.
To view a tutorial on what makes a journal scholarly, please see this tutorial from Rutgers University.
Characteristics of scholarly journals
Check this chart for information about scholarly journal characteristics.
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Authors |
Articles are written by authorities in the field |
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Sources |
Authors cite their sources in endnotes, footnotes, or bibliographies |
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Audience |
Aimed at scholarly readers (researchers, professors, or students) |
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Publisher |
Often published by academic or association presses |
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Advertisements |
Contains few to no advertisements |
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Peer-review? |
Most articles are reviewed by an author’s peers before publication to ensure high quality |
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Article scope |
Journals usually have a narrow subject focus, and articles often include original research, reviews, or essays |
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Graphics |
Illustrations often consist of charts or graphs |
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Language |
Articles use jargon of the discipline |
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Examples |
American Journal of Botany, The Academy of Management Journal, Social Research |
Characteristics of trade publications
Check the below chart for information about trade publications.
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Authors |
Articles usually written by specialists in an industry |
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Sources |
Sources are mentioned, but rarely formally cited |
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Audience |
Aimed at people in a particular profession, trade, or industry |
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Publisher |
Usually published by professional or trade associations |
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Advertisements |
Contains a few advertisements, usually targeting the particular industry |
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Peer-review? |
Generally, no peer-review process |
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Article scope |
Articles tend to be practical information, helpful to people in the industry |
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Graphics |
Some illustrations; often consisting of charts or graphs |
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Language |
Articles use jargon of the industry |
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Examples |
Adweek, Social Studies and the Young Learner, Software Development |
Characteristics of popular magazines
Check this chart for characteristics of popular magazines.
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Authors |
Articles are usually written by professional writers or journalists |
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Sources |
There are rarely bibliographies |
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Audience |
Aimed at general population |
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Publisher |
Published by commercial (for profit) presses |
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Advertisements |
Contain numerous advertisements |
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Peer-review? |
Rare |
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Article scope |
Used to inform, update, or introduce a topic to a general reader |
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Graphics |
Numerous colorful illustrations and/or photographs are usually present | |
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Language |
Language is geared to general population; no special knowledge is required |
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Examples |
Runner's World, Ebony, Time |
