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Research Smarter: Information Literacy Skills: Peer Review Process

Build essential research skills for college success and lifelong learning.

What is Peer Review?

Or try this quick explainer video from Common Craft (2:57):

Is it Peer Reviewed?

Search tool selection

Use search tools that limit by "peer review." Standard library research databases that make it easy include:

The journal's official web site

On the journal's official web site, the publisher should clearly state if the journal is peer reviewed. It may take some looking. You should also be able to find this in the beginning of the journal itself, if you can get the PDF or a print copy.

Look the journal up

Search the name of the journal (not the article's title). Try Google or NWACC's official directory to see if it's Refereed:

Ask an expert

Check with your instructor or ask a librarian.