Library DIY

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If you need to find out more about a specific journal

• Is it peer reviewed?
• What's their editorial policy?
• What are their submission policies?
• What is the scope and focus of the journal?

Looking at the publication record in a database and the publisher's web site are two places to start.

Publication Record in a Database

By clicking on the publication title in an article record in a database, it will tell you if the journal is scholarly and/or peer reviewed. It may also give you a link to the publisher to find out more.  For example, the image below shows publication details for Early Childhood Education Journal which includes the information that the journal is academic and peer reviewed.

Finding Journal Information Outside of the Library Databases

Searching the Web for Journal Information

Maybe you have come across a journal article in a shared online folder or through another way that does not directly involve an A&M-SA Library database and consequently you cannot look for specific icons or database labels. You can search outside the library databases to find information about journals' publishing practices.

• Try a Google search using the title of the journal.
• Look for a link to the journal's home page in your results list.
• From a journal's home page, see if you can find a link labeled "About the Journal" or maybe a page described as "Guidelines for Authors" or "Guidelines for Submissions."
• Look for the words "peer review" or similar phrases such as "blind review" (which implies peer review) to determine if the journal requires submitted articles to undergo peer review.