What term refers to research articles that have been evaluated by experts before publication?

Peer-reviewed literature is essential in maintaining the integrity and quality of academic research. This term specifically identifies research articles that undergo a rigorous evaluation process by experts in the field before they are published. During this review, the assessors examine the methodology, results, and the relevance of the study to ensure accuracy, reliability, and contribution to the field. This process helps to filter out subpar research, allowing only studies that meet high standards to disseminate findings to the broader scientific community.

In contrast, conference papers are often preliminary reports presented at academic gatherings, typically not subjected to the same level of scrutiny as peer-reviewed articles. Review articles synthesize existing research on a topic but do not present new experimental findings in the same way peer-reviewed literature does. An abstract serves merely as a summary of a study rather than a comprehensive review or critique, and it appears in multiple types of publications, including those that are not peer-reviewed.