Library Tutorial 4: Using Research Databases
What are Peer-Reviewed Articles?
Does your instructor require you to use scholarly, or peer-reviewed articles? What the heck does that mean? Watch the video from the University Libraries at the University of Washington to find out! If you have questions, remember to contact a librarian at any PCC campus.
Online Article Databases
You can use online article databases to find articles from magazines, newspapers, scholarly journals, and trade journals. These databases are available on the library page on the Pima website or though the library tab in MyPima.
When accessing the databases from off campus, you may be asked to input your MyPima username and password. Use the same username and password you use when logging into MyPima.
See all Magazine, Journal and Newspaper Databases or try the article databases below when researching topics in Western Civilization:
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
An unprecedented collection of peer-reviewed, full-text journals for academic research.
- History Reference Center This link opens in a new window
- JSTOR This link opens in a new window Academic journals, books, and primary sources as well as current issues of journals in the humanities and social sciences.
- Military & Government Collection This link opens in a new windowMore than 500 journals and periodicals with full text for nearly 400 titles - military, security and U.S. government information
- ProQuest Research Library This link opens in a new window
Research Library is a truly multidisciplinary resource featuring a diversified mix of scholarly journals, trade publications, magazines, and other timely sources across the top 150 subject area
Google Scholar
Google offers another way to search for both scholarly articles and books using Google Scholar. It will direct you to PCC Library holdings of articles and books, if available. See the tips below for help with searching Google Scholar.
Google Scholar Tips
- Use the Advanced Search for additional functionality.
- Click the "Check for Free Full-Text" to go to PCC's version of the full article.
- Clicking the title usually takes you to a preview of the article, with an option to buy it. Check to see of PCC Library has it first.
- If PCC does not have a copy, check the UofA Library. If you are not a UofA student, you will need to go to the UofA library to get a copy of the article.
- If you find a book and open it via Google Books, keep in mind that it may only be a preview or the book. See if copies are available at PCC, UofA, or PCPL.