PHIL 150: Mind, Meaning, and Morality (Fall 2024)

• Who is the author?
  • Do they have an agenda
  • Are they an expert?
• Where was it published?
  • Is it peer reviewed?
• When was it published?
• What is the argument?
• Why was it created/written?
• Is it trustworthy?
• Is this source well-cited?

Our Databases are designed to help you quickly answer these questions

Peer review grows out of the 18th century Republic of Letters and the Royal Society, in which papers were submitted & reviewed by scholars before presentation and publication.

Now peer review is a process by which academic work is evaluated and improved before publication.

An article or book is submitted for review to an editor, who then sends it to 2 or 3 external reviewers, who in turn provide feedback and comments. They return the piece to the editor with notes, who then sends it back to the author. This process may repeat.  This process improves the quality of a work, but also means publication takes Years after the work is written.

Possible signs of peer review

• Is the article in an academic journal?
  • If it's a book, was it published by a University press?
• Does the database list the article as peer reviewed?
• Are the citations, a bibliography, and/or a literature review?

What is a "Scholarly" source? Is it the same as a peer reviewed source?

Short Answer:

A scholarly source is material produced by experts, but may not have gone through the peer review process.

In Academe, we are especially interested in a specific type of secondary source: Peer Reviewed Publications.

But what's the difference between scholarly, peer reviewed, popular, or refereed?

Scholarly: A source written by an expert, but not subjected to the peer review process. 
Example: magazine articles (if written by expert), public presentations, reviews, opinion pieces.

Refereed: Academic work that has some level of vetting, usually by an editor or panel. 
Example: Conference papers, journal articles that are approved by an editor but not external reviewers.
NOTE: refereed is often used interchangeably with Peer Reviewed by databases, but it isn't always the same.

Popular: Written for a wide readership. May or may not be written by a subject expert.
Examples: newspaper or magazine, popular press books, websites.

Peer Reviewed: Academic books and articles written by a specialist, reviewed by other experts, and published by an academic press.
Examples: Articles in academic journals, some conference papers, books published  by university presses.

Example of Scholarly:

Scholarly sources may be very helpful in providing background information or in helping shape your understanding of a topic, but they are not the same weight as a peer reviewed source.