Getting Started on Research: Evaluating Resources

1. Be sure to choose an online database which is subject specific. Unsure which one to use? Try tho "Subject" dropdown menu on the library Database page.
2. Use at least the basic Boolean operators, such as AND, OR, or NOT to connect your search terms.
3. Enter search terms or keywords in the search box to begin searching for articles pertaining to your topic.
4. Add limiters before you search, such as a date range or to only retrieve peer-reviewed / scholarly articles. These can always be removed later if you need to expand your search.
5. Know that you may also use the source list or journal list of an online database to search for an article in a particular journal.
6. If you retrieve entirely too many results, you can narrow your search results by adding more terms, using quotes around specific words, or using more specific or different search terms.

Magazines and journals are published periodically and are often referred to as periodicals.

Magazines are usually:

• issued once per week or once a month
• include research and current issues
• are broadly summarized.
• contain shorter articles
• cover a wide range of topics
• contain many photographs, advertisements, and at times perfume and lotion samples.
• Examples: Time, Cosmopolitan, Essence, Motor Trend, and Ebony.

Peer reviewing, also known as refereeing, is a process of subjecting an author's scholarly work to the scrutiny of his or her peers and/or experts in the same field of study.

The process is aimed at improving the author's work to the standards of his or her particular discipline.

For example, a scientist may publish an article in Science or Nature and an English College Professor may publish an article in Journal of Modern Literature or Annual Review of Language Acquisition.

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed/Refereed Journals are geared toward scholars, researchers, or professionals. These journals are:

• usually published on a quarterly (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall) or monthly basis
• contain very few (if any) photographs or advertisements 
• are often sponsored by an academic or professional organization
• are usually very detailed and often include much research with charts and graphs.

To access the online databases at Lindenwood Library click 'Find Databases' from the menu on the middle of the library homepage.

Online databases are a great tool! They can also quickly eliminate research that is not considered scholarly or peer-reviewed.

• Simply find the correct online database to use, either a general one, such as Academic Search Ultimate or a subject specific one, such as the ProQuest Psychology Database (to look for articles pertaining to a psychological issue or topic).

Websites - When you access websites on the Internet, there is not a peer review process in place for published websites. You will have to judge for yourself whether or not the information you retrieve is valuable to your research needs.

• It is good to check:
  • who the author is
  • when the page was created
  • and compare the information to other reliable sources to ensure the information
• If you are in doubt about a website's source and information, do not use it in your research.