The library provides access to a lot of databases. Which ones you should use for a research paper depends on the topic and the requirements established by your professor. Use the menu below to see a list of databases for the department or academic area of your topic:
You can also use the search boxes on the library home page for SouthernSearch, Ebsco databases, and Google Scholar.
You can also contact a librarian
What does peer-reviewed mean:
When your professor tells you to use peer-reviewed articles or peer-reviewed journals, they want you to use articles from scholarly journals that review submissions before publication. In the peer-review process, an author sends a manuscript of their article to the journal. The journal editor(s) send the manuscript to other experts in the author’s field (i.e. their peers) and ask for comments. Based on the comments, the journal editors either accept the article, reject it, or accept it with conditions. If the article is accepted with conditions, the author can revise it based on the reviewers’ comments and resubmit it. The intent is to ensure quality. Sometimes the term “refereed” Is used in place of “peer-reviewed”.
Is everything in a peer-reviewed journal peer-reviewed:
The articles are peer-reviewed but opinion pieces, editorials, letters to the editor, and book reviews are not articles and are not peer-reviewed.
How do I know if a journal is peer-reviewed:
If an article is not available full-text online or in print at Buley Library, you can request it through interlibrary loan.
Enter your username and password to access the interlibrary loan forms.
Select "Journal Articles" under New Request on the left hand side and fill out the details of your request. Then click submit.
Most often the article will be emailed to you. If the article cannot be emailed it will be photocopied and mailed to you. You will be notified if a request cannot be fulfilled.
There is no charge for interlibrary loan.
