NURS: Peer Review

Peer reviewed or scholarly articles are papers that describe original research studies that have been reviewed by experts before they are accepted for publication.  Watch the video to learn about scholarly articles and the peer review process.

Also referred to as "peer reviewed," these articles are written by experts in the field. They generally report the findings of research and the information is supported by a bibliography at the end of the article. The author's affiliation is usually stated. Articles tend to be very specific in nature. The peer review process requires articles to be evaluated by other experts in the field before the article is published. This ensures the article is reporting sound research.

Some journals will contain both scholarly and popular articles! Be sure to check each article to see that it meets the criteria for a scholarly article before using it in your paper. Contact me if you need help with this.

Here's an example of a scholarly article:

McWilliams, E. L. (2019). Lost in Transition: The Importance of Transition Protocols for Pediatric Patients With Cystic Fibrosis. Pediatric Nursing, 45(6), 276–282.

View this article.

You will generally find these in popular magazines and newspapers. These articles are usually written by journalists, as opposed to experts in the field. They can very useful for getting an overview of a topic. Examples of magazines that would include popular articles include Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News & World Reports.

Here is an example of an article in a nursing magazine:

Rothman, L., & Ronk, L. (2017). Unpublished Photos Capture the Lifesaving Role of Nurses in World War II. Time.Com, 85.

View this article.