Refereed, or peer-reviewed articles are ones which are reviewed by a board of editors who are expert in a given field.These readers/editors determine if the material submitted for publication adds something significant to a body of knowledge that already exists. Refereed (or peer-reviewed) materials are important to the research and the literature of most academic fields; they assure readers that the information conveyed is reliable and timely.
Note:
The term "scholarly materials" is often used to describe refereed (or peer-reviewed) materials. However,the term is not exclusive to refereed material. While non-refereed materials may not by scrutinized as intensely as refereed materials, they can still be considered scholarly (or academic)!
