LibGuides: AI Assisted Literature Reviews: Finding Articles

What Researchers Do:

TOPIC – Define the research question/statement

SOURCES – Identify the information need. Do you need background info? A research article? A literature review article? etc. What databases would include this type of information on your topic?

KEYWORDS – Select the words you will be using to find information effectively and efficiently (Use a variety of words to describe your topic/concepts. Find subject headings that relate to your topic/concept).

EVALUATION – Evaluate information critically. Is the info relevant, reliable, current, appropriate?

USE--Organize, synthesize and communicate information to make your point/argument.

CITE--Ethically and legally access and use info by avoiding plagiarism and citing all your sources.

Finding Scholarly Sources

Tips for Searching in Databases:

Use keywords/subject headings to search in databases
Combine Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) with field searching
- "poitical participation" AND "social media"
Set up alerts in Google Scholar to track new publications on your topic
Use filters to search by publication date and/or peer-reviewed article

Recommended Databases:

Sociological Abstracts
Peer-reviewed articles and working papers on all aspects of sociology, including related fields such as demographics, criminology, policy studies and family studies. Includes citations and abstracts for dissertations, papers, books and book chapters.
PsycInfo
The core psychology database, with peer-reviewed and non-scholarly articles on all aspects of human psychology.
JSTOR
Peer-reviewed articles across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as select ebooks and other materials.
Academic Search Complete
A great starting place for any research topic. Includes a wealth of peer-reviewed and non-scholarly articles on a wide range of topics and disciplinary areas.
Sage Premier Collection
Peer-reviewed articles in the social sciences, humanities, medicine, engineering, and physical and life sciences.
Sociology Database
Peer-reviewed articles on sociology and social work, including the international literature on topics including culture, social structure, history, theory of sociology, social psychology, substance abuse, addiction, and more.
SocIndex with Full Text
Peer-reviewed articles on all aspects of sociology, including gender studies, criminal justice, social psychology, religion, racial studies and social work. Includes citations to books, conference papers, and other types of sources.
Statista Pro
Statistics and data platform that focuses on the economic, business, and marketing fields. The sources for the statistics come from a wide range of fields, including energy and the environment, advertising, health, hospitality, consumer goods, and many more.