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Sources of Information

Scholarly or Peer-Reviewed?

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You may be wondering what is the difference between a Scholarly Source and a Peer-Reviewed Source? 

A Peer-Reviewed Source is always considered a Scholarly Source, but not all Scholarly Sources are Peer-Reviewed. Basically, Peer-Reviewed Sources are a sub-category of Scholarly Sources.

To know whether your source is peer-reviewed check the journal or publication information by finding an "About this Journal" section or Google the journal. If you are in the Library Databases, click on the journal title or publication title link in the Detailed Record to find the publication info including whether it is peer-reviewed.  

Peer Reviewed Journals

Peer Review Basics: 

  • Peer review is the process by which an author's peers, recognized researchers in the field, read and evaluate a paper (article) submitted for publication and recommend whether the paper should be published, revised, or rejected.
  • Peer review is a widely accepted indicator of quality scholarship in a discipline or field. Articles accepted for publication through a peer review process meet the discipline's expected standards of expertise.
  • Peer-reviewed (or refereed) journals are scholarly journals that only publish articles that have passed through this review process.

If you are experiencing problems with our guides and databases, please contact ProfessorJanet S. Ward, jward@limestone.edu, Assistant Director of the Library and Web Services Librarian.