LibGuides: World in the 20th Century Research LibGuide: Finding Peer-Reviewed Articles in Library Databases

Ask-a-Librarian

Reach out to a librarian if you have any questions about finding information in the library databases. Use the Ask-a-Librarian button at the left, or check beneath my profile pic below to see if I'm online for a Chat or feel free to reach out to me via email as well! I'm happy to help!

Find Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Articles

Peer-reviewed articles appear in academic journals (also known as scholarly journals). Peer-reviewed articles are written by professionals and experts in their field - researchers, academics/scholars, scientists, etc. When they submit articles to a journal the articles is not reviewed by the editor but a panel of experts (peers) in the same field. They read and evaluate a paper (article) and recommend whether the paper should be published, revised, or rejected. Articles that are accepted for publication meet the expected standards for the field.

When you perform a database search look for a checkbox that allows you to filter for peer-reviewed articles.

GALE Databases (upper right of page)EBSCO Databases (left column )

Databases Tutorials for Peer-Reviewed (Scholarly) Articles

There are two excellent general topic databases, Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) and Academic OneFile (Gale), that serve as a great starting point for your research. In the videos below you will learn to use these databases specifically, to find scholarly article but you will also learn to use the dozens of other databases created by the companies EBSCO and Gale. Most EBSCO and Gale databases look and function the same way.

Note: I know sometimes it's not easy or convenient to listen to an audio recording. The videos are closed-captioned so if you prefer to read than to listen, you have that option.

Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
A giant database that covers a wide range of topics. Use it to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles, as well as articles from trade journals, newspapers, and magazines.
Academic OneFile (Gale) This link opens in a new window
A great resource for writing assignments. Browse a wide list of subject categories from the database’s home page to find articles and information from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and multimedia. Content is provided in the fields of biology, chemistry, criminal justice, economics, environmental science, history, marketing, political science, psychology, and more. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.

Western Library A-Z Databases List

More Databases for World History Research

Biography (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
A combined reference and research source that features basic facts and overviews as well as in-depth content on more than 5000 influential people from the past and present. Browse people from the home page, figures in subject areas such as history and literature, science and medicine, math and technology, arts and entertainment, and business and sports. Find information from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, as well as primary sources, and multimedia content.
College (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
A great source of information for essays, speeches, and presentations. Browse a wide range of topic categories from the home page including current events, social sciences, geography, biography, and history, to science and literature. Search for background sources as well as more in-depth content in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, primary source documents, multimedia, and links to quality websites.
CultureGrams This link opens in a new window
Discover information about cultures around the world. Use this database to find statistics and data, and learn about the customs, traditions, and daily life of people living in different countries.
Diversity Studies (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
This database focuses on content related to diversity issues in the social sciences and liberal arts from both historical and contemporary perspectives. This collection explores cultural differences, contributions, and influences in the global community found in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, primary source documents, and multimedia. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.
EBSCO Espanol, all This link opens in a new window
Punto de acceso a bases de datos de EBSCOhost españolas. Para los hispanohablantes. Access point to EBSCOhost Spanish databases. For Spanish speakers.
Global Issues (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
Multiple-topic database that represents international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events such as business and technology, the environment and climate change, culture and society, health and medicine, and governments and political systems. Content includes magazine, journal, and news articles, and multimedia. Browse a list of topics from the home page.
History Reference Center (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
History Reference Center features cover-to-cover full text for historical encyclopedias and other non-fiction books. The database also includes full text for leading history periodicals, historical documents, and biographies of historical figures, as well as historical photos and maps and historical film and video.
Humanities International Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Use this database to find information for assignments and projects related to in the fields of literature, philosophy, the arts, history, and culture, with a special emphasis on literature and the literary arts. Look for ebooks, professional and scholarly journals, magazines, encyclopedia entries and more. Title coverage goes back as far as 1929.
Informe Académico (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
A database for Spanish-speaking users that contains a wide range of reference and full-text art articles from Spanish and Portuguese-language scholarly journals and magazines (revistas, publicaciones académicas, noticias, imágenes, and videos) both from and about Latin America. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool (Buscador de temas).
Religion and Philosophy (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Covers topics of philosophies and religions in a broad range of topics from theological approaches to social issues. Researchers will gain valuable insight about the impact religion has had on culture throughout history, including literature, arts, and language. Updated daily. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.
War and Terrorism (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
A valuable resource for students and faculty of military science, history, and social science, and other researchers such as analysts, risk management professionals. Gain valuable insight into conflicts, their causes and impacts, as well as how they are perceived on a global scale. Access content from magazines, news sources, scholarly articles and multimedia. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.
World History (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
A great source for reference and in-depth information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in World History. Access content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to quality websites. Browse a variety of topics from the home page including events, trends, cultures, societies, governments, political movements, economics, and religion.
World History (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Access reference sources, scholarly journals, and magazines that provide balanced coverage of events in world history and scholarly work being established in the field. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.
World Scholar: Latin America and Caribbean This link opens in a new window
This multidisciplinary resource includes a wide range of research materials across the humanities dating back to the colonial period, and examines current issues and events as well. Access content from reference, periodicals, multimedia, reports, studies, journals, newspapers, and statistical data. An archive of digitized primary documents focuses on the history of Latin America and the Caribbean dating back to the early 1800s up to the present. They are sourced from collections in the U.S. and abroad.