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It is important to note that it is the JOURNAL which is designated as peer-reviewed, not necessarily the individual article. For example, some journals will have editorials or opinion pieces and these will not necessarily be peer-reviewed.
Some of the Research Databases have a limiter/facet for peer-reviewed and sometimes, the article itself will indicate original submission date and date of acceptance, which generally indicates that a review process has been undertaken.
However, if none of these indicators are present, there is a Research Database, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, which allows users to get information about the journal, such as whether or not it is peer-reviewed. In Ulrichsweb, search the name of the journal in which your article is located. Under the Basic Description of the journal, look for “Refereed.”
Visit the UW library’s online research guide Evaluating Information Sources.
You can use this "RADAR" guide to help you assess an item's quality and usefulness in your assignment.
Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs
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Authority: the source of your information
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Date: the timeliness of the information
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Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content
How do I know if an article is peer-reviewed? Ulrichs Web Global Serials Directory can help. Search the name of the journal in the search box. Click on the its entry and discover information about the journal including including whether it contains peer-reviewed articles. Journals that do are referred to as “refereed.” |
Reason for writing. Ask the question: is this item meant to inform, educate, persuade, sell something ...?
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Mandalios, Jane. “RADAR: An Approach for Helping Students Evaluate Internet Sources.” Journal of Information Science 39, no. 4 (2013): 470–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551513478889
Peer-reviewed articles may also be called “scholarly articles,” “academic articles,” or “referreed articles.” They are articles that have been reviewed by peers or experts in the author’s field of research/study.
Is an article is peer-reviewed?
Some clues that an article is peer-reviewed:
If you're still not sure, contact your instructor or a subject librarian.