How do I find an article that is scholarly or peer-reviewed?
Answer
In many of the library's databases, there is an easy way to find peer-reviewed journal articles. If you're using Academic Search Complete or any of our EBSCO branded databases, on the Advanced Search page, scroll down to find a check box labeled "Peer Reviewed". In some of the library's databases, the search option will say "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals."
After choosing the Peer Reviewed option, run your search in Academic Search Complete. Your results will be limited to just the articles that are published in peer-reviewed journals. This will eliminate news and magazine articles (popular sources) and trade publications from your results.
You can also access this option AFTER you have done a search. At the top your results list, clicking on the button labeled "Peer Reviewed" will leave just the articles from your search that are published in peer-reviewed journals.
In some databases, this search option may be called Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals. There is a difference. Although peer-reviewed journals are always scholarly in nature, scholarly journals are not always peer-reviewed. Scholarly journals are research focused, reporting results of original research and experiments. They are heavily cited in the form of either footnotes or bibliographies, and written by, and addressed to, experts in a discipline. However, whereas peer-reviewed journals require a strict "peer-approval" for publishing, a scholarly journal that is not peer-reviewed only requires the approval of an editorial board.
If you cannot find an option that says Scholarly or Peer Reviewed, it is likely that the database has either NO peer reviewed articles in it, or they are ALL peer reviewed.