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THIST 101 Introduction to History Methods - Sundermann: Articles

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Searching for Articles

How do I know if a journal or article is peer reviewed?

  • Step 1:  Check the peer review status of the JOURNAL

    Journals that use the process of peer-reviewing to select articles for publication are often called “peer-reviewed” or “refereed” journals.  Peer-reviewed journals can also include materials like letters to the editor, book reviews, and news briefs that have not been peer-reviewed.

    • Search for your title in Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory(linked above).
    • When you find your journal, look for a "referee's shirt" symbol  .  The symbol will appear  to the left of any journal title that is peer reviewed and/or refereed (interchangeable terms).
  • Step 2:  If the JOURNAL is peer reviewed, then assess the ARTICLE
    • Published peer-reviewed articles name their author(s) and provide details about how to verify the contents of the articles (such as footnotes and/or a list of “literature cited” or “references”).  If the article does not name its author(s), it is not peer-reviewed.
     
    • Some articles provide specific information about the peer-review process (such as dates of review and approval for publication). 
     
    • You may also consult the journal’s table of contents, since some journals list peer-reviewed articles as “research” or “articles” to distinguish them from other materials like “news” or “book reviews”.

Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Google Scholar searches across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites>

How to access UW Restricted materials in Google Scholar:

  1. From the Google Scholar homepage
  2. On the next page, click the "Library links" option that appears in the left-hand menu.
  3. Using the search box, search on "University of Washington" to reveal the access link labeled "University of Washington - Full Text @ UW." Check the box next to this option, then click "save."

Tip: If you don't see the "University of Washington - Full Text @ UW" link on the first page of results, click the ">" icon to see more results. 

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