An academic journal is one method to disseminate your research findings. Journals inform the community (i.e., students, professors, researchers, and other professionals) about new research, ideas, and theoretical concepts within fields of study.
Journals have unique characteristics that make them different than books, newspapers, and other types of sources. Journals are typically organized by volume and issue, published on a regular schedule (e.g., bi-monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.), and contain multiple articles written by experts or subject specialists. Examples of journals include:
Journal articles have dense text, discipline-specific terminology, list of references, and potentially graphs, charts, images, and other informational diagrams. Review Sheridan Library's Types of Sources Guide for additional characteristics.
Peer-review is a rigorous process that academic journals use to evaluate and assess your work. The peer-review process involves one or more reviewers who are experts in your field of study. They assess the content (e.g., research methodology, originality, and quality of the document) to ensure that the document meets a high level of scholarship. Visit the journal's website to determine if the publication is peer-reviewed. This information is often located under the "About Us" section of the website.
There are several types of peer-review including:
For a full description of peer-review types is available on Wiley and Elsevier. Review Sheridan Library's Scholarly Articles Guide for more information about peer-reviewed articles.
Researchers may register for a unique digital identifier, such as an ORCHID ID, to distinguish themselves from other authors. This ID is a persistent identifier that looks like a string of letters and numbers that researchers' use as part of their professional profile which links to their publications, grants, and affiliations.