Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh LibAnswers: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh FAQs

Peer review is the process by which research (usually of a scientific nature, although other disciplines participate in peer review as well) is quality controlled to ensure accuracy and validity, by having independent reviewers look over and critique research before it is published. In general, research is not considered valid unless it is published in a journal that participates in the peer review process. 

How does peer review work?

There are a couple different processes by which peer review is conducted. Sometimes the author doesn't know who the reviewer is but the reviewer might know who the author is, and sometimes neither the author or reviewer know who the other person is. There are pros and cons to each type of peer review process - for more information, check this article about peer review from a leading journal, Elsevier, and in our list of resources below!

Are newspapers peer reviewed?

Newspapers are not considered peer reviewed sources, but can still be legitimate sources of information, especially if the research you are conducting requires you to use primary sources. If you are wondering if a newspaper or a journal article would be better for the type of research you are doing, we can help! Feel free to reach out to a librarian via chat, e-mail, or phone!

Where can I find peer reviewed research?

There are a couple different places to find peer reviewed research! In general, if you use Google Scholar (note that this is different than doing a regular Google search), you will find research that has been peer reviewed. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh also offers access to databases that contain peer reviewed research (you will need a library card to access these resources).

If you are enrolled in a college or university and you are using your campus library catalog and website, most of these sites will contain a filter (usually on the left hand side, although this will vary) that you can select that will only return articles that have been peer reviewed in your search results.

I could use some help with my research. Where can I go?

If you are a college student, consider reaching out to your institution's library or writing center for help.

If you aren't, or you need some extra help, CLP Librarians are available for any research questions and help you might need! Our contact information and library service hours are below.