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Research Strategies
- Do Pre-Research - Use Google and other public resources to do some initial research on your topic, especially if you are unfamiliar with it. See if there is enough research out there on your topic. This strategy can lead you to more credible sources and assist you in developing more keywords.
- Create Keywords - Develop search terms and synonyms related to your topic. Pull out nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.
- Use Connecting Words - Use words like AND or OR to connect your keywords. AND is useful for connecting difference concepts, while OR is good for connecting synonyms and related topics.
- Utilize Databases, Filters & Limiters - The library subscribes to a plethora of databases that are at your disposal. Take advantage of them and use the tools they provide to limit or filter results by peer-review, date, language, etc.
- Evaluate - Evaluate sources for their content. Read the title, abstract, intro, and conclusion to determine the quality and relevance of the source. Look at the "References" pages to discover additional sources if necessary.
- Organize Sources - Use permalinks, citation managers, and more to keep track of your sources.
Research Tips
- Save More Than You Need - Locate and evaluate more articles than you need or what your professor requires. It is best to find more and then weed the weakest articles out later.
- Consult More Than One Database - In order to do thorough research, search multiple databases. Each database pulls from a different collection of journals, so therefore other databases will have different articles.
- Go Where the Research Leads You - You may have an assumed answer for your research topic/question. Remember that the research evidence dictates the answer to your question, not your personal opinion or bias.
- Search References - If you find articles that you want to use, screen their references. Chances are, the articles they cite will be applicable and available for you to use as well.
- Pay Attention to Dates - For medical research, try to stay within the last ten years or so. Medical research is constantly changing, so some things written even three years ago could be considered out of date. This is dependent on topic.
- Look for the Best Evidence - There are articles/studies that are considered the best types of evidence. Keep a lookout for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. Study/evidence type is sometimes dictated by topic.
What is a Peer Reviewed Journal Article?
Definition & Examples of Peer Review
- Peer Reviewed: Essentially a screening process for journal articles. The authors (scholars, professors, researchers) of the article submit their work to a specific journal in the hopes of getting it published. Before it is published, the authors' "peers" (aka other scholars, professors, or researchers who are experts) review the article. They may suggest the journal editors accept the article, reject the article, or ask for revisions before publishing it.
