Peer-Reviewed Articles

Here are some characteristics of research articles in the social science and science fields:

• The authors are scholars and researchers in the field and are identified as such.
• The publisher may be a professional organization or research institution, usually non-profit.
• There is very little advertising.
• The graphics are usually statistical illustrations in black and white.
• Sources are cited with footnotes or a bibliography at the end of the article.

Peer-reviewed journals are housed in library databases (and sometimes on the open Web). To find them in the library collection, enter search terms in the box on the homepage and limit your results to articles. You will then see an option to further limit your results to peer-reviewed articles. Alternatively, if you want to search for all article types first, you can use the peer-reviewed checkbox that shows up in the menu in your search results in the Refine Results menu on the left side of the screen. Peer-reviewed journals contain original research articles and case studies along with editorials, commentary articles, opinion essays, and book reviews so examine your search results carefully to make sure the article is what you need for your research.

Once you’ve located an article, review the different sections to determine if it’s a source you want to use and why it might be relevant. Don’t try to read the entire article from start to finish the first time through. The terminology and scientific methodology are aimed at researchers in that field so it may be challenging to read if you are just getting familiar with the content area. Journal articles are broken up into sections so that the important aspects can be easily identified. Use this checklist as you evaluate the articles you find:

• Read the summary or abstract to see if the source is relevant; if not, move on to the next source in your search.
• Check to see if it is a commentary or editorial article (which presents a specific viewpoint), rather than a research article.
• Check to see if it is a book or media review, rather than a research article.
• Skim the introduction or literature review section to get background information so you have context about why this source might be important to the bigger picture.
• Check the author’s affiliation or institution to see more about who is behind the study and what their credentials are. (This is often on the bottom of the first page of the article.)
• Check for sponsors or funding sources that may present a conflict of interest (e.g. the Corn Refiners Association funding a study about the health and safety of high fructose corn syrup).
• Read the discussion or conclusion so that you know the outcome of the research article or study.
• Skim the entire article and the methodology so you know how the research or study was conducted.
• Use the references or bibliography section to locate additional sources that may be relevant to your research.
• Re-read the introduction, discussion, and conclusion sections a few times so that you fully understand what the article is about.

The information in the introduction, discussion, and conclusion sections can provide the best “sound bite” of what the article or study is about. These sections may also provide background or statistical information that you can use.

Since each article may only demonstrate one point or address one aspect of the bigger picture, you’ll probably have to find several sources and weave together many quotes to effectively support your argument or thesis statement. Using a combination of books and research articles is a great way to provide your reader with both the big picture and background of your topic and detailed evidence that supports your argument.

When you have identified a relevant article, make sure to review the bibliography or works cited page which will help you identify additional sources that you may want to read or use in your own work.

To see if the library subscribes to a specific journal, enter the name of the journal in the search box on the library homepage. You can also search for specific articles by entering the name of the journal article in the search box. We have additional instructions to help you locate an article from a citation, too. If we don’t have access to the full text of an article, you can request a copy (for free) through interlibrary loan.