How to Tell if an Article Is Peer-Reviewed
When selecting journal articles for a course, distinguishing between genuinely peer-reviewed publications and non-peer-reviewed works is critical. Peer-reviewed articles undergo rigorous scrutiny by subject matter experts to ensure academic rigor and adherence to systematic quality standards. Only articles meeting these standards can be submitted as Peer-Reviewed Publications in Woolf courses, while non-peer-reviewed articles may still be submitted as "Publications" if deemed relevant and of high quality by the college.
This article outlines how to verify the peer-reviewed status of an article and identifies warning signs of potentially predatory journals.
Identifying Peer-Reviewed Articles
Verify peer-review claims by checking:
- Journal's Website: Look for explicit mentions of the peer-review process in the journal's About section or submission guidelines.
- Article Details: Peer-review status may be mentioned on the first page of the article or in accompanying metadata.
- Publisher’s Policy: Check the publisher’s website for overarching policies indicating peer-reviewed content across their journals.
If no claim of peer review can be found, assume that the article is not peer-reviewed.
Assessing the Credibility of Peer-Review Claims
Even if a journal claims to be peer-reviewed, you should corroborate this claim with the following checks:
1. Reputable Publisher
- Publishers like Routledge, Wiley, or Science Direct are highly unlikely to misrepresent the peer-reviewed nature of their work.
2. Academic Editorial Board
- Ensure the editorial board consists of scholars affiliated with accredited institutions.
- Cross-check the editorial members’ profiles on their institutional websites to confirm their credentials.
3. Indexing in Academic Databases
- Credible databases like IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, or PubMed reliably list peer-reviewed articles.
- Avoid using non-curated databases like Google Scholar for this purpose.
Warning Signs of Predatory Journals
1. Profit-Driven Business Model
- Predatory journals prioritize high author fees over academic rigor. Legitimate journals emphasize their peer-review process, plagiarism checks, and correction policies.
2. Non-Academic Editorial Board
- A journal without academically affiliated editors is a red flag.
3. Fake ISSN
- Check whether the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) provided by the journal is valid using the ISSNPortal.