A Complete Step-by-Step Guide On How To Find Peer-Reviewed Articles on Google Scholar

Declan Gessel

May 24, 2024

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Are you tired of sifting through unreliable information online? When your professor asks for peer-reviewed articles, it can be challenging to find them. There are many research articles and even editorial pieces that are not peer-reviewed. This could be a big problem if you're asked to write a paper using only peer-reviewed articles.

You could even receive a lower grade simply because you can't find the right sources! The CRAAP Test is great for evaluating sources. But when it comes to finding peer-reviewed articles, Google Scholar is a fantastic tool.

What Is Google Scholar?

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Discovering Scholarly Literature with Google Scholar

The ever-growing volume of academic research presents a considerable challenge: finding the most relevant and credible sources. Google Scholar is a free search engine that caters specifically to scholarly literature, providing researchers with a vast database of articles, theses, books, abstracts, and court opinions across various disciplines.

Unlock the Power of Google Scholar: A Comprehensive Scholarly Search Engine

Google Scholar offers a comprehensive search functionality, indexing a vast collection of scholarly materials to help users access the most relevant information. Through its relevance ranking feature, Google Scholar prioritizes articles based on search terms, ensuring users find the most pertinent resources quickly and effortlessly.

The citation tracking functionality enables users to gauge the potential impact of an article by revealing how often it has been cited. Moreover, Google Scholar facilitates the easy discovery of related articles, enabling users to explore new research areas and delve deeper into their chosen topics.

Navigating Limitations: Full-Text Availability and Peer-Review Identification

While Google Scholar provides links to articles, gaining full access may require library subscriptions or payment of publisher fees. Furthermore, the search engine cannot directly verify if an article is peer-reviewed, posing a limitation to those seeking specific types of content.

How to Find Peer-Reviewed Articles On Google Scholar

Let’s dive into the main methods for finding peer-reviewed articles:

Library Databases

Library databases are powerful online collections of scholarly articles, often with filters to limit results to peer-reviewed journals. You can access them through your school or local library. Some popular databases include Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, and ScienceDirect. To search these databases, start with keywords and search terms related to your topic. Apply filters to limit results to peer-reviewed articles only.

Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a massive search engine for academic publications across disciplines. Be cautious though, not everything is peer-reviewed. While Google Scholar doesn't have a built-in filter, you can identify peer-reviewed articles by looking for publications in scholarly journals such as the Journal of Experimental Psychology or Nature. Additionally, check for abstracts and references, as these are common elements in peer-reviewed articles.

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How To Identify Peer-Reviewed Articles

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I often get questions about how to discern whether a particular article is peer-reviewed or not. It's a crucial skill for any student or researcher. Here's how I go about it:

Content-Type

I'm always mindful that peer-reviewed journals publish various types of content, not all of which undergo the same rigorous review process. For example, editorials, commentaries, book reviews, and news articles often don’t go through peer review. While these pieces provide valuable insights, they may not represent peer-reviewed research.

Look for Clues

To identify peer-reviewed articles, I look for certain tell-tale signs. Peer-reviewed articles typically follow a specific format. I generally search for the abstract – a concise summary outlining the research question, methods, results, and conclusions. I also look for a comprehensive list of references, as this indicates that the authors consulted and cited established research in the field.

Remember

Always remember that the absence of an abstract or reference list doesn't necessarily mean the article is of poor quality. It indicates a different type of content within the journal.

Additional Tips For Using Google Scholar

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Targeted Keywords

When researching on Google Scholar, it is crucial to identify and utilize relevant keywords. By using specific terms, names of theories, or methodologies directly related to your research topic, you can help databases and search engines better understand your focus and deliver more precise results.

Cast a Wider Net

Combining broad and narrow terms in your search can significantly enhance your research process. Starting with broader terms provides a general overview of the topic, allowing you to gradually add narrower terms to refine your results and locate more specific articles.

For instance, if your research focuses on the "effects of social media on teenagers," beginning with "social media" can give you background information. Subsequently, adding "teenagers" to your search can help you find more targeted articles.

Timeliness Matters

Always consider the publication date of the articles you find on Google Scholar. Depending on your research topic, the most recent research might be crucial. Databases often allow users to limit their search by date range, ensuring they are working with the latest available information in their field.

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