Peer-reviewed materials, as the name suggests, have been reviewed by experts in a specific subject area to ensure that they meet standards for quality and rigor within a discipline. In some disciplines, this means the materials are accurate, the scholarship is sound, and the research adds to the body of knowledge within the field. In other disciplines, materials might be evaluated according to skillful use of theory or technique.
In academia, peer-reviewed materials are the gold standard among information sources. The review process entails time and evaluation by many informed minds, and the final material benefits from this scrutiny and reconsideration. The hope is that, though this process, error and bias will be weeded out.
Explore the links below to see some examples of peer-reviewed materials from CMU faculty in different disciplines.
A research article co-authored by CMU Biology professor Dr. Johanna Varner and CMU alumnus Brooklyn D. Waterhouse "Activity patterns and foraging behavior of American pikas (Ochotona princeps) differ between Craters of the Moon and alpine talus in Idaho," published in Western North American Naturalist
An article written by CMU History professor Dr. Adam Rosenbaum "Leisure Travel and Real Existing Socialism," published in Journal of Tourism History
An article written by CMU Forensic Anthropology professor Dr. Melissa Connor "Ethics and Best Practices of Human Decomposition Facilities in the United States," published in Forensic Science Policy & Management: An International Journal
A chapter "Revitalizing the Cherokee Syllabary" in the book The Routledge Handbook of Language Revitalization by English professor Dr. Brad Montgomery-Anderson
A Painting by CMU Art Professor Eric Elliott in a juried (peer-review by a jury of artists) art show "Painting and Seeing"
Please consider one of the peer-reviewed sources above in a little more depth and respond to the reflection prompt below:
Take a closer look at the discipline-focused peer-review example that most closely aligns with your major (or an area of interest for you). What conventions do you notice for this discipline? (How is the study introduced? How are the findings organized?)