How does ERIC define peer review for regularly cataloged content?

ERIC accepts peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed material. ERIC bibliographic records are marked as peer reviewed if the source has demonstrated that the content has gone through an acceptable peer-review process. Peer review is defined as content reviewed by internal or external reviewers. The author's identity may or may not be known to the reviewer. A peer-review process employing at least two reviewers with scholarly affiliation is preferred, with the peer-review process requiring multiple rounds of revisions. Editorial reviews are not recognized as an acceptable type of peer review.

I thought only journal articles were peer reviewed. Why is a report in ERIC marked as peer reviewed?

There are high-quality, non-journal sources that undergo peer review—these can include article manuscripts, published conference proceedings, reports, and working papers. By statute, all reports published by the Institute of Education Sciences(the parent organization of ERIC, the National Center for Education Statistics, the What Works Clearinghouse, and the Regional Educational Laboratories) are peer reviewed.

For more information about how this determination is made, please consult the answer to the previous FAQ, the ERIC Selection Policy, or the video below:

Do all peer-reviewed journal articles and non-journal materials in ERIC have the peer-reviewed flag?

The peer-review indicator has been assigned to peer-reviewed journal records in ERIC for over 20 years. The policy to add this indicator to non-journal materials was adopted in January 2016. It is being retroactively applied to currently cataloged content and to previously cataloged materials that are specifically identified as peer reviewed by the provider.

Can I search for peer-reviewed journal articles only?

Yes. Check the “Peer reviewed only” box when you conduct a search, then click the “Journal Articles” publication type in the left column of the results page. You may notice several results that have a source name of “Awardee Submission.” These are final, peer-reviewed manuscripts of work funded through federal grants. The content is the same as the journal version of the article and reflects all changes made through the peer-review process, but the manuscript may not have gone through final editing and formatting.

I am going to submit a paper using ERIC’s online submission system. Can the paper be marked as peer reviewed on the ERIC record?

Yes, if you provide evidence of a blind or expert peer-review process. The document submitted must have an explanation of the peer-review process in the front matter, or the author may submit a URL for the publisher or conference website that outlines the peer-review process. A statement that the content is peer reviewed—without an explanation of the process used—is not sufficient and the peer-review indicator will not be applied. Access the infographic How Do I Provide Evidence That My Online Submission Was Peer Reviewed?

I submitted a paper that was peer reviewed to ERIC’s online submission system but did not provide any proof. Can I apply now for the peer-review indicator to be added to the ERIC record?

No. The peer-review indicator is added to online submissions at the time the submission is processed and is not applied retroactively.

Our association has a non-journal agreement with ERIC and our papers go through a peer-review process. How can the peer-review indicator be added to our ERIC records?

A representative from your organization may fill out this application. The peer-review designation may be assigned to ERIC records for all your content, or for a specific series or type of publication. If your application is approved, you will receive a countersigned form. If not approved, you will receive an email response.

Our peer-review application was approved, and the peer-review indicator is being added to new ERIC records. Can this indicator be added to the older ERIC records for similar material?

Yes. After a publisher’s application is approved, a publisher representative may submit a list of ERIC numbers for their previously cataloged work that qualifies for the peer-review indicator.