Bertrand FAQ

Peer-reviewed sources (most commonly published as articles in scholarly journals) are published only after they have been reviewed by scholars in that field. Peer-reviewed journals follow this procedure to make sure that published articles demonstrate solid scholarship and advance knowledge in a discipline.

Through the careful use of references, a peer-reviewed article allows readers to explore the scholarly conversation on a given topic.  

There are a number of indicators to help you identify peer-reviewed/scholarly articles.  The presence of some or all of these factors will help you confirm that an article is peer-reviewed. Ask a librarian if you need help determining whether a specific journal is peer reviewed.

• In-text citations, footnotes/endnotes, works cited, references, or bibliography
• An abstract
• Article may be organized into sections such as Methodology, Results, and Conclusion
• Charts, tables, or graphs may be included within the text or in appendices
• May include complex language and terminology targeted toward other scholars in the field
• Author credentials
• Journal articles may focus on a specific aspect of a topic

Note that the peer review process takes time, and may result in publication delays. For this reason peer-reviewed articles may not be the best sources to use for current, news-driven topics.