An article is likely peer-reviewed if it meets these criteria:
- It is published in a scholarly journal that explicitly states it uses peer review.
- It has an academic tone, includes an abstract, and is organized with sections like introduction, methods, results, discussion, and references.
- The authors are affiliated with research institutions or universities.
- The journal can be verified as peer-reviewed through databases like Ulrichsweb, library databases, or the journal's official website.
- When searching databases, you can often filter results to show only peer-reviewed articles.
Practical ways to check:
- Look up the journal in Ulrichsweb or a similar serials directory and check for a "refereed" or peer-reviewed label.
- Check the journal's website for statements on peer review or instructions for authors indicating peer review.
- Use academic databases that allow filtering for peer-reviewed journals like Academic Search Complete, PubMed, or Scopus.
- Examine the article for scholarly features such as technical language, multiple citations, and research methodology sections.
Note that not all articles in peer-reviewed journals are necessarily peer- reviewed themselves (e.g., editorials or commentaries). Confirming the journal’s peer-review process and the article type is important.
