Peer reviewed, or scholarly articles, are papers that describe original research studies that have been reviewed by experts before they are accepted for publication.
Peer reviewed articles are found in scholarly journals. The checklist below can help you determine if what you are looking at is peer reviewed or scholarly.
Scholarly Journals | Popular Sources |
Author is an expert on the specific topic of the article | Author is usually a journalists who might or might not have particular expertise in the topic |
Articles are "peer-reviewed" or evaluated by experts in the field | Reviewed by an editor and fact checker. |
A list of references or citations appears at the end of the article | References usually aren't formally cited |
Goal is to present results of research | Goal may be to inform, entertain, or persuade |
Examples: Journal of the American Medical Association; Journal of American History | Examples: Newsweek; Time Magazine |