1

There are several benefits of using peer-reviewed literature, including: the process ensures that the quality of the research and validity of the findings are high, information is available on highly-detailed subject matter and complex analyses, and it is easy to search through millions of articles with online databases. There are limitations to using peer-reviewed literature, however, including: highly-detailed and complex analyses may be irrelevant for users who are simply searching for descriptive statistics and basic measures of public health; may require a subscription to journals or databases to access articles (which can be costly for individuals, although many universities and other organizations provide access to students and faculty); and may be prone to publication bias due to the fact that studies that report significant statistical results are published in favor of those that yield negative or null results.