Peer Reviewed Materials
What is Peer Reviewed material?
Peer reviewed materials are books, articles, websites, or other scholarly materials where publishers have sought the input of experts (referees) in the field before considering the material for publication. These referees will either recommend that the item be published, or not, based on a variety of criteria. These criteria may include:
- Importance of subject
- Originality and soundness of argument
- Accuracy of facts
- Currency of research (Gibaldi, 26)
A scholarly journal is one that publishes articles that have been reviewed by experts in the field in question. The works cited for these articles are generally plentiful, and list works that reflect both sides of the argument or topic discussed.
In the case of books, one can consult sources such as Book Review Index (Z 1035 A1 B73 -- UA Rutherford N, Fl 1, Indexes) or Book Review Digest (Z 1219 B72 -- UA Rutherford N, Fl 1, Indexes) to get an idea of how the book was viewed by experts in the field. If one is dealing with historical or literary works that may exist in various editions, it is important to ensure that the edition is reliable (Gibaldi, 26).
Internet sources pose more of a challenge, as they are not always created by reputable organizations. One must remember that the site name is considered to be the name of the publisher. Therefore it is important to consider who is creating and disseminating the site. Look for the following suffixes at the end of the URL for a hint as to the site's reliability:
- *.org – usually refers to a non-profit Organization
- *.com – refers to a commercial site
- *.edu – refers to an educational institution
- *.gov – refers to a government site (Gibaldi, 27)
It is difficult to verify the authority of information posted on a *.com site, as it may be for commercial or sensational value as opposed to accuracy. It is also important to verify that sites with an *.edu ending, are indeed reputable educational institutions (Gibaldi, 27).
Why do you need to use them?
It is important not to assume the reliability or truthfulness of a source. It is imperative to use one's own common sense, knowledge, and intelligence, weighing the source against others that discuss the same subject. If an article is known to be, or shows evidence of being a peer reviewed article, it will, in turn, add weight and credibility to a paper, thesis, dissertation, or website (Gibaldi, 26).
How do you find them?
In order to determine the authority of a source, ensure that the author of the print or electronic document or site is identified. There are a variety of factors that can determine authority, including:
- Credentials of the author
- Biographical information given about the author
- List of other works by the same author
- Mission statement or purpose
- Evidence of review (Gibaldi, 27)
When determining the accuracy and verifiability of an item, ensure that there are sources indicated (generally in a list of works cited). These sources should reflect general knowledge of the subject and demonstrate that there was extensive, unbiased research done on the topic. An electronic source that gives an email address or other contact for the author of the site demonstrates that the author stands behind the information and is committed to being accountable for the information on the site (Gibaldi, 28). Some databases such as Academic Search Premier, provide an option to limit searches strictly to peer reviewed journals.
For more information on Peer Review, please consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers:
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th edition. The Modern Language Association of America (http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=http://www.mla.org), NY: 1999. 25-28.
