Peer reviewed sources

What is peer review?
What does it mean if an article or journal is peer reviewed?

Peer review is a formal process during which a journal article or other source is evaluated by experts before it is published. 

1. An author submits an article for consideration. 
2. If the editors decide that the article would suit their publication, they will send the work to one or more reviewers, who are typically experts in the same field as the author. 
3. The reviewers carefully evaluate the article. They typically check if:
   • The methods used are appropriate for the research undertaken.
   • The conclusions are logical and reasonable.
   • The potential for bias or other flaws has been minimised, or made explicit.
   • There are any errors.
4. Each reviewer comments on the paper and provides a recommendation. 
5. The editors review the comments and decide whether they accept or reject the article, or ask the author to make changes and resubmit.

How to find peer reviewed sources

The easiest way to find peer-reviewed sources is to use a peer review filter. 

You can do this when using:

• findit@flinders
• most Library databases (refer to the How to search databases guide for instructions and advice)

Just look for a list of options to 'limit' or 'filter' or 'refine' your search results - this list will typically include an option for 'peer reviewed'.

How to tell if a source is peer reviewed

Sometimes you will come across a source where you can't easily tell if it has been peer reviewed - for example, if you found it:

• On a reading list or other teaching material.
• From a reference list.
• By searching Google Scholar or an open AI search tool. 

There are three strategies you can try to check if a source has been peer reviewed.