Determining if a Journal is Peer-Reviewed
How do I know if my article comes from a peer-reviewed journal?
- You can use Ulrich's Periodicals Directory to check to see if a particular journal is peer-reviewed. If it is, the record will include the referree jacket icon depicted above, meaning that the journal is "refereed"/peer-reviewed
- Peer-reviewed journals contain articles that have been carefully reviewed by experts in a particular field of study to ensure that the research they present meets high standards of quality
- Peer-reviewed journals are also referred to as scholarly, academic, or refereed
Search Tips
The following techniques can improve your success with online searching, whether you're searching a catalog for books or a database for articles:
- Enter phrases in quotes: "body image" "aerobic exercise"
- Use truncation symbols to search for alternate word endings: In most databases, entering athlet* searches for athletic, athletics, athlete, and atheletes.
- If one term doesn't work, try a few others. Experiment with different vocabulary related to your topic. Brainstorm ideas for relevant keywords and use background sources such as encyclopedias for suggestions.