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Scholarly Article Characteristics

As shown in the video, a scholarly journal article is identified by its distinct segments, including:

  • Abstract
  • Literature Review
  • Methodology
  • Explanation of data collected
  • Results
  • Conclusions
  • References Cited / Bibliography

A scholarly article is peer reviewed, meaning it was read and approved by experts in the field for accuracy, a reliable methodology, and appropriate references. 

Peer Reviewed are articles are "PRE-APPROVED" and are already certified as credible research by scholars and journal editors in that field

By limiting your results in a database search to "peer reviewed" or "scholarly"  the articles you retrieve ARE "pre-approved" that is, they have been reviewed by experts and have passed rigorous testing to certify credibility and accuracy.  

To learn more about how to limit your database search, see our Research Workshop Online and the tab on that guide for "Five Quick Search Tips."

How Peer Review Works

Creative Commons License CC by NC 4.0 This video was created by Tessa Withorn, Carolyn Caffrey, and Dana Ospina at the CA State University at Dominguez Hills Library and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License for reuse.

What Is Peer-Review?

Peer review is a process for evaluating research studies before they are published by an academic journal. These studies typically communicate original research or analysis for other researchers. 

The Peer Review Process at a Glance:

1. Researchers conduct a study and write a draft. 2. Researchers submit a draft to a journal.3. Journal editor considers and sends to reviewers. 4. Reviewers provide feedback and ask questions. 5. Researchers receive feedback, revise or respond.6. Journal rejects, accepts, or accepts with revisions.

Looking for peer-reviewed articles? Try searching in OneSearch or a library database and look for options to limit your results to scholarly/peer-reviewed or academic journals.

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Creative Commons License CC by NC 4.0 This guide was created by Tessa Withorn, Carolyn Caffrey, and Dana Ospina at the CA State University at Dominguez Hills Library and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License for reuse.