How to Tell If an Article Is Scholarly or Peer Reviewed?

When you write a school paper or do a research project, your teacher may ask you to use scholarly articles or peer-reviewed articles. For many students, these terms sound confusing. What do they mean? How are they different from regular articles? And how can you tell if the article you found on the internet or in a database is really peer reviewed?

Don't worry, you are not alone. Many students struggle with this at first. The good news is that there are clear ways to check. This blog will explain what peer reviewed means, why it is important, and step-by-step methods you can use to check if an article is peer reviewed. By the end, you will feel confident about choosing the right sources for your assignments.

What Does Peer Reviewed Mean?

A peer reviewed article has been written by an expert and then checked by other experts before being published. These "peers" are specialists in the same field as the author. For example, if someone writes about cancer research, the article will be reviewed by doctors and scientists who know a lot about cancer.

These reviewers check if:

• The research methods are correct.
• The data is accurate.
• The arguments are logical.
• The study adds something new to the field.

Only if the article passes this test does it get published in the journal. If it does not meet the standards, it is rejected or sent back for revision.

Think of peer review as a quality control process. Just like products in a factory are checked before they are sold, research papers are checked by experts before they are shared with the world.

Why Peer Reviewed Articles Are Important

Your teacher may insist on peer reviewed sources for a good reason. These articles are more trustworthy than random websites, blogs, or even newspaper reports. Here's why:

• Accuracy: Peer reviewed sources go through strict checks, which reduces errors.
• Reliability: Since experts approve them, the information is dependable.
• Authority: They are written by researchers who specialize in the subject.
• Academic Value: Colleges and universities rely on them as the backbone of research.

Imagine writing a paper on climate change. If you use a blog post by a random person, your teacher may not trust it. But if you use an article from a peer reviewed journal like Nature Climate Change, your work will look credible and professional.

Scholarly vs. Peer Reviewed vs. Popular Articles

It is important to understand the difference between scholarly articles, peer reviewed articles, and popular sources.

• Scholarly Articles are written by experts, usually for other experts or students. They contain data, references, and technical language. But not all scholarly articles are peer reviewed. For example, a conference paper may be scholarly but not reviewed by peers.
• Peer Reviewed Articles are a type of scholarly article that has been checked and approved by experts. This makes them the most reliable type of source for academic research.
• Popular Articles are written for the general public. They appear in magazines, newspapers, and blogs. They are easy to read but are not reliable for academic purposes because they are not reviewed by experts.

How to Check If an Article Is Peer Reviewed

Now that you know what peer review means, let's look at practical ways to check if an article is peer reviewed.

Step 1: Check the Journal's Website

The easiest way is to look at the journal's website. Most academic journals explain their peer review process in the "About" or "Editorial Policy" section. If the journal says that all submissions go through peer review, then the articles published there are peer reviewed.

For example, the journal Nature Electronics clearly states that peer review is central to its publishing process. This tells readers that all articles in the journal are carefully reviewed by experts.

Step 2: Use Database Filters

If you are searching for articles in a research database, you can often filter results to only show peer reviewed journals.

• In EBSCOhost and ProQuest, there is a checkbox for "Peer Reviewed Journals."
• In Google Scholar, you can check the journal title and confirm if it is peer reviewed.
• In PubMed, most articles come from peer reviewed medical journals.

This filter saves time and ensures that the articles you find are reliable.

Google Scholar doesn't have a peer reviewed filter. But if you see a journal title like Nature Climate Change, you can click it and check the journal's website to confirm it is peer reviewed.

Step 3: Look at the Article Format

Peer reviewed articles usually follow a formal structure. They are not written casually like magazine articles. Instead, they include:

• Abstract (a summary at the beginning)
• Introduction
• Methods or Methodology (how the study was done)
• Results (data and findings)
• Discussion (what the results mean)
• References (a list of sources)

If your article follows this structure, it is very likely scholarly and peer reviewed.

If you see an abstract, that's one sign you're looking at a real scholarly, peer reviewed article.

Step 4: Check the Abstract & Journal Source

Most journals like Nature let you view the abstract and other details before downloading the PDF. If it's hosted on a scholarly site, it's peer-reviewed.

Click on the Download PDF button to open the full article. This lets you read the complete peer-reviewed paper.

Step 5: Check the Author Information and Affiliation

Most peer-reviewed journals list the author's university or research institution. This helps confirm that the article is scholarly and written by experts in the field. On Nature, you can find this section under "Author information."

Here, we check the author's affiliation and confirm that the article is published on the official Nature website, which ensures it is from a peer-reviewed journal.

Example: Comparing Sources

Let's say you are writing a paper on mental health in teenagers. You find three different sources:

1. A blog post titled "Why Teens Are Stressed Today" on a parenting website.

2. A research report by a university psychologist.

3. An article in the Journal of Adolescent Health that includes data, methods, and references.

• The blog post is a popular source not reliable for academic writing.
• The research report is scholarly but may not be peer reviewed.
• The journal article is both scholarly and peer reviewed this is the best source for your paper.

Comparison Table

FAQs

Q1: Are all scholarly articles peer reviewed?
No. All peer reviewed articles are scholarly, but some scholarly works like conference papers or reports are not peer reviewed.

Q2: Is everything in Google Scholar peer reviewed?
No. Google Scholar collects articles from many sources. Some are peer-reviewed, but others are not. You need to check the journal name to be sure.

Q3: What words should I look for on a journal website?
Look for words like "peer reviewed," "refereed," or "review process." These usually appear in the About section.

Q4: Can I use non-peer-reviewed articles for my school project?
It depends on your teacher's instructions. Most academic assignments require peer-reviewed articles, but sometimes popular sources can be used as background information.

Q5: How do I cite a peer-reviewed article?
You must include the author's name, year, article title, journal name, volume, issue, and page numbers. Use the style (APA, MLA, or Chicago) your teacher asks for.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to tell if an article is peer reviewed may feel difficult at first, but it becomes easy once you know what to look for. Remember these simple steps:

• Check the journal's website.
• Use database filters.
• Look at the article's structure.
• Use Ulrichsweb if possible.
• Ask your librarian.

Using peer reviewed articles makes your research stronger and more trustworthy. It shows your teacher that you used reliable evidence and took your assignment seriously. Next time you write a paper, use these tips to check your sources and feel confident about your work.