What is Peer Reviewed?
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 "Peer Reviewed". If you're not sure if a journal is considered peer-reviewed, check Ulrich's by looking up the title of the journal.
What is a peer-reviewed journal?
A scholarly/academic 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.
Check publication titles in Ulrich's
- Ulrichsweb This link opens in a new window
Directory of U.S. and international periodicals. No articles, just information about journals.
If you have a journal and you need to check if it is peer reviewed, use Ulrich's. Enter the name of the journal in the search bar, then look for the black and white referee's jersey icon or the line that says "Refereed: Yes." "Refereed" is just another way of saying "peer reviewed," so if you see either or both of those things, your journal is peer reviewed.
If you don't see the icon or if the description of the journal says "Refereed: No," that journal is not peer reviewed.
