Academic journals, also known as peer-reviewed or refereed journals
Your lecturer may ask you to read peer-reviewed journals (also known as refereed, scholarly or academic journals). These are authoritative sources of information. A peer-reviewed or refereed journal is where all the submitted articles are checked by experts in the field, and sometimes given back to the author for changes to be made before publication. Recognising peer-reviewed or refereed journals can be difficult. Clues to look for include:
- Does the journal seem to be aimed at researchers or professionals?
- Are the editors and or contributors academics/experts? Can you see where they work/what are their qualifications?
- Is there a section on the "Editorial" or "Peer-review policy"?
- Are there dates showing when the article(s) were submitted, checked and authorised?
- Do the journal articles have extensive bibliographies/references?
For further information, including an evaluation checklist for research articles, go to the guide "Peer-reviewed journals".
