ENG 102 - Tafti

Finding Peer-Reviewed Articles at CSN Libraries

You can search through the CSN Libraries Find Articles page to search for peer-reviewed research on your topic. 

Whether you are searching through the CSN Library catalog or a specific database, using filters will help you narrow down the results to get the type of sources best-suited for your research. The image below is an example of the recommended filters you can use on the library's catalog. If you are searching through a specific database, the filters may look different but remain generally the same. 

Recommended filters:

  • Full Text Online will ensure that you are able to read the full article, not just an excerpt.
  • Peer Reviewed Journals will give you articles that have been reviewed by experts in the field to ensure academic quality.
  • Selecting Journal Articles narrows down your search to the type of material you are interested in.
  • For science-related research, try searching for sources from the last 5-10 years as information is rapidly changing.
  • Choose relevant topic areas under Subject (ex. Anthropology, Social Sciences).

CSN Databases

While the library's main search bar searches all of our databases at once, you can also search for resources in specific databases. This strategy is particularly helpful if you want to focus more within your discipline or browse other sources to get ideas. The following databases are the most relevant to this course.

Google Scholar

For all kinds of tricky citations, Google Scholar can be your saving grace. If you have just a partial citation (like an author, date, and subject) use the Advanced Search in Google Scholar to piece together the missing information.

Google Scholar Advanced

Many universities are now publishing theses and dissertations in institutional repositories, which are freely available on the web and searchable via Google Scholar. You may be able to find recent dissertations on your research subject online!

Conferences and associations also sometimes publish their proceedings and publications freely online, so they may be accessible through Google Scholar.

Google Scholar is a go-to source for academic librarians, and you can use it too!