This document discusses the characteristics and importance of scholarly journals, also known as academic or peer-reviewed journals, emphasizing their role in academic development. It provides strategies for finding relevant articles, including using advanced search features and search alerts in databases, as well as consulting encyclopedias for background information. The document also mentions the benefits of literature reviews and offers links for further research assistance.

1. Entering the conversation:
Academic journals and your
development as a scholar
Paul M. Rogers PhD
February 26, 2014

2. Overview
“Scholarly Journals” are also called:
• “Academic” Journals
• “Peer-Reviewed” Journals
• “Refereed” Journals
Scholarly journals are often "refereed" before
publication by an editorial board or outside scholars

3. Audience
Scholars, researchers, and students in the field

4. Authors
Written by specialists and scholars
Often include author's credentials

5. Possibilities:
• Handbooks/Encyclopedias/Review articles
• Find articles/books from reference lists
• Use advanced search features in databases
• Search for articles using a particular research
methods
• Create search alerts
• Google Scholar

6. Handbooks, encyclopedias, etc.
• Why?
•
•
•
•
Background info/definitions
Overview of theories and authors
Key researchers and issues
Find keywords (for searching)

7. Encyclopedias
• Great
background
and overview
• Key
issues, etc.

8. References…

9. Database searching

10. Use the thesaurus
• Find better or more terms

11. Finding studies that use a particular
research design
• Try adding “literature review”
• you will see examples of lit reviews, plus get an overview of some
aspect of your topic
• Or “narrative” or “quantitative” etc.

12. Search alerts

13. Journal alerts
• Set up in database like
Education Research
Complete
• Or set up from
publisher/journal
website

16. Wikipedia

17. For more info and help…
• http://library.gmu.edu/research/liais.html

18. http://library.gmu.edu/research/liais.html