Scholarly & Peer Reviewed Sources: Finding Scholarly & Peer Reviewed Articles

Maintain High Standards

1. Be selective in deciding who to read and cite. Research the authors, their credentials, and the reception of their work.
2. Make sure that articles come from recognized journals and have gone through scholarly review.
3. Use an article's works cited to find more sources. They can lead you to better options.

Limit to Peer Reviewed

Most databases allow you to refine your search. Look for how to narrow your search by scholarly or peer-reviewed resources.

Here are a few examples: 

Use Encyclopedias Strategically

Subject encyclopedias are an excellent starting point for finding scholarly work, because they:

1. Provide a thorough overview of a topic, and
2. Include a bibliography or suggestions for further reading. Use the sources they suggest.

Use our Get Background Information guide to find subject encyclopedias.