Peer-Reviewed, Refereed, Scholarly Publications

The following characteristics list provides features of a Scholarly Article:

• Often have a formal appearance with tables, graphs, and diagrams
• Always have an abstract or summary paragraph above the text; may have sections decribing methodology
• Articles are written by an authority or expert in the field
• The language includes specialized terms and the jargon of the discipline
• Titles of scholarly journals often contain the word "Journal", "Review", "Bulletin", or "Research"
• Usually have a narrow or specific subject focus
• Contains original research, experimentation, or in-depth studies in the field
• Written for researchers, professors, or students in the field
• Often reviewed by the author's peers before publication (peer-reviewed or refereed)
• Advertising is minimal or none

[Excerpt from Mabee Library-Washburn University]

To see if a publication is peer-reviewed, check if the journal requires:

1. a multiple-copy submission requirement
2. an abstract
3. literature review
4. methodology
5. results
6. conclusion
7. references