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FLEET LIBRARY | Research Guides

Rhode Island School of Design

Information Literacy for HPSS S101

Resources for Social Sciences S101

Illustration of peer-reviewed article Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals

    Jump to: Why to use them | How to find them | How to cite them | Video: How do I know if articles are peer-reviewed?

What are Scholarly or Peer-Reviewed Journals?

A journal is like a magazine for professional academics. Scholarly journals contain articles written by scholars or other experts. We sometimes refer to these journals as peer-reviewed, because before the articles are published, they must be reviewed and approved by several scholars in the author's field (their peers). This helps to ensure the research being published is trustworthy.

Why use them

  • written and reviewed by scholars, often experts
  • carry weight in academia and serious scholarly circles
  • contain citations and evidence > references to further reading
  • help you to understand the way this topic is discussed in its field

Look for journals within your field of study

Journals are usually related to specific fields of study, or disciplines. For example, anthropology scholars are most likely to publish in--and cite--anthropology journals. They are built for an audience with related interests and expertise. 

When you search for journal articles, you may find results from journals in other fields of study, like art or science. It's OK to cite these if they are truly important for your argument, but a good rule of thumb is to start by reading scholarship within your field of study. Your professor may be able to recommend specific journals to you, and a librarian can help if you are stuck. 

Cover of the August 2020 issue of Transgender Studies Quarterly journal

Photo of scholarly journals in print on the library shelves

Most scholarly journals to which the library provides access can be read online. Transgender Studies Quarterly, published by Duke University Press, is one example.                                                       

Many journals are still published in print! While you're not as likely to use these for HPSS classes, we do have paper versions of scholarly journals, particularly covering art and design history, in Fleet Library. 

 

 

Review the Anatomy of a Scholarly Article

illustration of magnifying glassHow to find scholarly articles

  • Check the bibliographies/works cited of other sources you've found useful. They will often lead you to other scholars who are writing on the topic.
  • Use Fleet Search to seek across multiple databases including JSTOR and Project Muse.
    • Type in a keyword, author, or title, then use the filters on the left.
    • IMPORTANT: Click "Peer Reviewed" to see only scholarly results.
    • Click "Full text" for items you can read right away.
    • If something important is not available, use the InterLibrary Loan option to request it. 
  • You can also dig around for scholarly articles using Google, but because so many of them are behind a paywall, we recommend starting with Fleet Search. If you find something you absolutely MUST read and can't find a way to access it, shoot us an email for help: researchhelp@risd.edu

How to cite scholarly articles

  • Chicago style: Author-Date | Notes & Bibliography
  • MLA style (scroll down to "Article in a Scholarly Journal")
  • APA style
  • PRO TIP: Use Fleet Search's automatic citation feature, which can generate citations in whatever style you need.