Research Guides: WR121 Schumacher: Peer-reviewed articles in databases

Searching in library databases

Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Provides magazine, trade journal, and peer-reviewed journal articles on a wide range of subjects and is good for research on almost every topic. Most articles are available in full-text. It’s a great place to look for scholarly resources when you’re not sure where to start.
Academic OneFile (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Offers full-text of newspaper, magazine, trade journal, and peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as eBooks, videos and podcasts. Subject coverage includes the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, and literature. It’s a great place to look for resources when you’re not sure where to start.

Search strategy overview - databases

Use these tips when you search in CCC Library databases. Your search results will be more focused and relevant to your topic!

Use quotation marks around phrases and search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.
Use different search boxes for each different idea that makes up your overall topic.

Too Many Results?	Too Few Results?
Add in additional search terms. Limit to peer-reviewed journals. Limit by date. Limit by subject. Limit to items with full-text availability. Change the search box dropdown menu to "Abstract" or "Subject."	Verify that you spelled everything correctly. Erase unnecessary search terms. Try different search terms. Use the Boolean operator OR between search terms. Remove any limits you may have added to an earlier search. Change the search box dropdown menu to "All Text" or "Entire Document."

Need help with too many or too few results? Call, email, chat with, or stop by and see a librarian!

What are peer-reviewed articles?

Peer-reviewed articles are published with the intent of sharing new research and information from specialized fields with researchers, professionals, and students. The process of peer review helps to ensure that each published article is unique, accurate, credible, and objective. Peer-reviewed articles can be published in print journals, online journals, and academic and research organizations’ websites.

Characteristics of a Peer-Reviewed Article

Information is organized into sections with headings: Abstract, introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, and references.
Usually long and in-depth; 10-20 pages is normal.
Includes graphs or tables but few, if any, images or advertisements.
Includes specialized or field-specific language.
Information is presented objectively, without bias.
Includes reference lists and in-text citations.
Published quarterly or semi-annually.

Purpose

Inform other scholars and students in higher education of new research and findings.

Authorship

Experts in their fields: researchers conducting primary research, practitioners, professors and scholars. Credentials are either provided in the article or easy to access.
Often an organization will publish a journal (e.g., the American Medical Association publishes JAMA and the Archives of Internal Medicine.)