An article is considered peer-reviewed when it has been evaluated and critiqued by experts or researchers in the same field before publication. This process serves as a form of quality control for both the research and the publication.
Additionally, the article and the journal in which it appears adhere to specific research and publishing standards relevant to the discipline.
Other terms for peer-reviewed include "refereed" or "juried."
Not sure if your article is peer-reviewed? Look for these clues:
Author. The author's credentials & institution should be listed. Authors of peer-reviewed articles typically have graduate degrees and thier institution affiliation.
Audience. Peer-reviewed articles are written for scholars, researchers, & students who are knowledgeable about the topic, and likely use specialized terminology.
Purpose. Articles that are about sharing findings of a research project, present a case study, make an argument that is supported by evidence or research is more likely to have gone thru peer-review process, unlike opinion pieces or short informational articles even when published in a peer-reviewed journal those articles do not get peer-reviewed.
Publication. Peer-reviewed articles are published in scholarly journals that have the peer-reviewed process, check to see if the publication has that process by going to the journal webpage and checking for peer-reviewed in their submission information.
References. Peer-reviewed articles typically include a bibliography that cites other peer-reviewed sources
Some databases offer filter or limiter options that allow you to retrieve only peer-reviewed publications. However, it's important to note that these filters operate at the publication level. This means that while the journal itself is peer-reviewed, not all content within it may be. For example, opinion pieces, letters to the editor, or articles that respond to specific studies or findings (often referred to as "rebuttals" or "commentaries") may not undergo the same rigorous peer-review process.
To search for nursing peer reviewed articles, start with these databases in the following order:
CINAHL Complete and MEDLINE (EBSCO): Scroll down to Limit your Result section and select Peer Reviewed. You can also combine your search with MEDLINE and other EBSCO databases, and don’t forget to select the "peer-reviewed" filter on the left side of your search.
PsycNet: If your research intersects with psychology or mental health, PsycNet has peer-reviewed articles, select the Peer-Reviewed option on their Advanced Search screen.
HPU Discovery: If you’re still having trouble finding what you need, try searching HPU Discovery and use the Peer Reviewed filter under Content Type option.
