How to Find Peer-Reviewed Sources for a College Assignment

Start from concepts, not sentences

Pull two or three core concepts out of your research question and list synonyms for each. Databases match terms, not meaning, so "adolescent OR teenager OR youth" finds work that "teens" alone will miss.

Use your library first, Google Scholar second

Your library subscription is what gives you full text. Search there, then use Google Scholar to find newer work citing the best article you found. Following citations forward is faster than starting a new search.

Verify that it is actually peer reviewed

• The database has a peer-reviewed filter — use it, then still check.
• The article has an abstract, a methods section and a reference list.
• The journal states a peer-review policy on its own site.
• Be careful with preprints, trade magazines and reports from advocacy organisations — useful, but not peer reviewed.

Read strategically

Abstract, then conclusion, then methods, then the rest only if it still looks relevant. Six well-chosen articles read properly beat twenty skimmed.