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School of Dentistry: Peer Review

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A refereed or peer-reviewed publication is one that has been evaluated by experts in the field prior to publication. Refereed materials are significant to the research and the literature of most academic fields because they assure readers that the information conveyed is reliable and timely.
In contrast, articles submitted to non-refereed materials such as Trade Journals or Magazines are accepted or rejected based on the judgment of the editor. 
The term "scholarly publication" is often used to describe refereed materials, but this term is not exclusive to refereed material. Non-refereed materials may not be scrutinized as intensely as refereed materials, but they can still be considered scholarly.
Most biomedical research is reported/published in academic or scholarly (refereed) publications and the articles have completed the peer-review process.
To determine if a journal is refereed, you can;

Other clues:

  • Little or no advertising  Any advertising that is included will directly relate to the field.
  • Black & White Text Refereed publications are mostly black and white text with very few photographic material. Articles often include tables, charts and graphs.
  • Table of contents  will list research articles and non-research material such as editorials, book reviews, literature reviews, and essays.
  • Publishing Refereed journals are typically published weekly,  monthly, quarterly, or annually, often by a professional society, organization or research institution - once a week, once a month, every quarter, or annually. The majority of journals are published four to six times per year and are often published by a professional society, organization or research institution.
  • Editorial board Refereed journals have a peer review process. The editorial board is listed along with the organizations they are affiliated with. Information about what types of papers are chosen for publication, the selection process, the length of papers accepted, and how to submit a paper is also provided.
  • Indexing Information will include sources where the journal is indexed.