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Research

So you have a paper or project due and you don't know where to start? Use this guide to help you pick a researchable topic, search for sources effectively, and keep track of your research.

Peer-Review Articles

Many people use "academic" or "scholarly" sources to mean the same thing as peer-reviewed sources.

Peer-reviewed articles are papers that are reviewed by a panel of experts prior to acceptance and publication

  • reviewers often evaluate the validity, significance, and originality of a work

As a result, the quality of peer-review articles is generally viewed as high.

Recognizing Peer-Review Articles

Peer-reviewed articles Scholarly, but not peer reviewed
  • Run longer than 1 or 2 pages
  • Include footnotes or endnotes
  • Have sections such as abstract, introduction, methodology, results, 
    discussion, list of references.
  • Are written for experts, not the general public
  • Letters to the editor or opinion pieces
  • Book reviews
  • Academic books

Confirming Peer-Review (when in doubt)

  • Google the journal title. Look at the journal homepage or Wikipedia for details.
  • Look for a "peer reviewed" symbol in a library database. For example, in Library Search you can see if an article is published in a peer reviewed journal by the symbol. 

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