Q. What is a peer-reviewed journal?

Peer-reviewed (also called refereed, scholarly, or academic) journals are publications that follow an editorial process that included the evaluation by fellow specialists of research that someone has done in order to assess its suitability for publication or further development. An article published in a peer-reviewed journal is a quality resource because experts in that field have reviewed it.

Using peer-reviewed articles is an important part of your academic career. In the academic world, a great deal of value is placed on peer-reviewed articles. Using them in your research papers helps build your knowledge base of a particular field. It also adds credibility to your arguments. Researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information is a continual process that varies depending on the resource. For an article to be included in a peer-reviewed journal, the author must submit the piece to that journal for publication. It’s reviewed by a panel of researchers for accuracy and contribution to the knowledge in that research discipline. It’s then recommended for publication, revision, or rejection.