What is a “peer-reviewed” journal?
- Submissions are usually reviewed by professionals, such as professors, research scientists, or other scholars
- The scholarly professionals or “peers” have qualifications and interests similar to the authors
- Acceptance for publication is usually selective
- An editorial board may manage the journal, its contents, and the review process
- The journal is often searchable in prominent indexes within the discipline
Common elements of a scholarly or “peer-reviewed” journal article
Abstract – What is this article about? The abstract is a concise summary.
Introduction – What is the key problem, issue, or question?
Method – How will the author investigate the problem? With a laboratory test? Or a survey? Or another type of study?
Results – Research findings, including observations, statistics, graphs, etc.
Discussion / Conclusion – What did the author learn? What did the study prove? What questions are still unanswered?
References – What other scholarly articles did the author consult when conducting this research and writing this article?
