Psychology: What are Peer-Reviewed Journals?

The terms, "scholarly", "academic", and "peer-reviewed" are all used to describe journal articles reporting on current research in a specific discipline or field of study.

Articles published in peer-reviewed journals are reviewed by experts in the same field of study (historians, medical doctors, psychiatrists, etc.), thus the term "peer-reviewed." The process of getting an article published in a peer-reviewed journal is rigorous and competitive, usually requiring several rounds of editing and re-submission,  therefore, an article published in these journals can be considered reliable/authoritative.

Periodicals are publications that are issued on a regular, or periodic, interval.  Periodicals can be excellent sources of concise, focused articles on current events and social issues.  Articles in periodicals typically address a very specific aspect of a larger topic.

Different types of periodicals are suitable for different types of information, and are published at different intervals.

• Newspapers cover news events, including local, state, national, and world news, and are published daily or weekly.
• Magazines feature articles related to popular culture and social issues, and may be published weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
• Journals provide scholarly research or topics related to specific professions, and may be published montly, bi-monthly. or several times a year.
• Trade Journals feature news and practical information related to specific professions or occupations, and may be published weekly or monthly.

This chart will help distinguish different types of periodicals:

source: http://libguides.cayuga-cc.edu/How_To_Scholarly_Journal