Most databases allow you to limit the search to peer-reviewed journals.
Just select "peer review" before conducting the search. For example, in EBSCO databases, you can check the box labeled Peer Reviewed to limit your search to these kinds of resources:
You can do the same in ProQuest databases by checking the box on the search page labeled "Peer reviewed":
You should always double-check whether an article is peer-reviewed by considering its characteristics, especially:
In some databases, users may need to conduct a search first and then are given the option of limiting to peer-reviewed journals on the results page.
It is possible to check whether a journal is peer-reviewed or not in Ulrich's Periodicals Directory.
Ulrich's is available online from the Kresge Library website's list of databases. Once you open Ulrich's, do a search for a journal, and look for the little referee icon before the title of the journal:
If it is there, the journal is peer-reviewed.
To find out whether a journal is peer-reviewed, you can also check their editorial policy. Most reputable journals lay it out in each issue, or on their website. For example, in the image below, the Journal of Cell Biology's About page indicates that it is a peer-reviewed journal.
Library OneSearch also denotes peer-review status in item records. The image below shows how peer-review status will appear in the catalog record.
