How do I know if a journal is peer-reviewed, and what are the most common types of peer review?
University press journals typically employ a structured peer review process designed to ensure academic rigor and fairness. Submissions are evaluated by subject-matter experts who assess originality, methodology, clarity, and contribution to the field. Editors oversee the process, synthesize reviewer feedback, and guide authors through revisions. While the peer review process can be time-intensive, it strengthens the final publication and provides authors with valuable scholarly feedback.
The vast majority of university press journals are peer-reviewed, or refereed. Ulrichsweb is a reliable source to confirm the referee status of more than 300,000 periodicals globally, and details on a journal’s peer review policy and type of peer review are often found on the journal’s webpage. The most common types of peer review are single anonymous, double anonymous, and open. (While some may refer to these as “blind” and “double-blind,” the Association of University Presses recommends using the more inclusive language of “anonymity.”)
- Single or partly anonymous: The author does not know the identity of the reviewer, but the reviewer knows the identity of the author.
- Double or fully anonymous: The author does not know the identity of the reviewer and vice versa.
- Open: Authors and reviewers know one another’s identities, during or after the review process.
Think. Check. Submit is another great resource on peer review and more broadly on identifying trusted journals and publishers for your research.
—Johns Hopkins University Press, January 2024
While focused on book publishing practices, The Best Practices for Peer Review: AUPresses Handbook for Scholarly Books can offer some useful information to journal article authors as well.