Peer reviewed (or refereed) articles have been read and evaluated by experts in the field prior to publication.
- Data collection methods, result analyses and conculsions are evaluated to determine the quality of the research.
- Reviewers consider if the research adds to the body of knowledge in a particular field of inquiry.
- Reviewers need not agree with the opinions of the author.
Because an article is scholarly (written and published primarily for a scholarly audience) DOES NOT necessarily mean that it is peer reviewed. The table below explains the differences between what a "popular" and "scholarly" source.
Popular vs. Scholarly
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Popular Magazines
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Scholarly Journals
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| Examples |
- PC Magazine
- Art in America
- The Economist
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- International Journal of Human Computer Interaction
- Journal of Latin American Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Urban Education
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| Audience |
|
- Scholars, professionals and students
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| Articles Written by |
- Non-specialists: paid journalists/reporters
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- Specialists: unpaid scholars and professionals
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| Editorial Authority |
- Articles are reviewed in-house
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- Articles are reviewed by editorial board of experts in that field; can also be peer-reviewed
- How can I can tell if a scholarly journal article is peer-reviewed?
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| Content |
- Superficial treatment
- News
- Little use of jargon
- No bibliographies or references
|
- In-depth research
- Use of jargon
- Provides bibliographies and references
|
| Appearance |
- Short articles frequently broken up by text boxes or non-continuous pagination
- Graphics include glossy photographs
- Colorful
- Advertisements target the general public
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- Dense text, broken up by headings and an abstract
- Graphics include charts, graphs, tables, etc.
- Advertisements target specialists and are infrequent
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| Published by |
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- Learned society or professional association
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| Publication Frequency |
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- Monthly, quarterly, or less frequently
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| Good for |
- Broad overview
- Popular perspective
- Usually used as a secondary source
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- Narrowly focused perspective
- Current scholarly research
- Historical scholarly perspective
- Primary source for lab or field research. Secondary sources for review articles.
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