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ECN 201/202 - Microeconomics, Macroeconomics - West Campus: Find Articles

Library Tutorial 4: Using Research Databases

Scholarly vs Non-Scholarly Resources

Your instructor may ask your to use only scholarly resources for your paper.  What's the difference between a scholarly or non-scholarly resource?

Scholarly (peer-reviewed) sources include books and articles published in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, and books.  These sources are reviewed by a panel of experts in that particular field, and are often published by a professional association or a university press.  These experts ensure the information published is credible before accepting it for publication.

Non-Scholarly sources include websites, magazines, newspapers, and books that undergo no expert review prior to publishing.

    Check with your instructor if you plan to use any non-scholarly websites and use the CRAAP test to evaluate them.

    What are Peer-Reviewed Articles?

    Does your instructor require you to use scholarly, or peer-reviewed articles?  Watch the video below from Vanderbuilt University to find out what peer-reviewed articles are.

    Business & News Article Databases

    Company Information

    General Periodical Indexes

    Search multiple databases, from one search box

    Search Strategy

    1. Use a KEYWORD search.

    2. Find a relevant article.

    3. Try clicking an official SUBJECT descriptor from this article. Or look for a "Find Similar Articles" function.

    4. Use precise terminology from the article in a new Keyword search.

    5. Consult an encyclopedia for overviews of concepts (see box at lower left).

    6. Email articles to yourself--with citations.

    Periodicals