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Mount Royal University

Library

Library class objectives

Following the library class, students should be able to do the following

  1. Identify and access peer-reviewed articles: Locate and retrieve peer-reviewed journal articles relevant to their topic using the library search and relevant library databases.
  2. Locate books and edited book chapters: Locate and access books and chapters from edited collections through the library search and databases.
  3. Evaluate sources for credibility and relevance: Critically assess the credibility and relevance of academic sources (e.g., peer-reviewed journals, books) for their research.

Finding Peer Reviewed Articles

When beginning your research, it can be helpful to use general resources like your textbook, Wikipedia, and Google to gain a basic understanding of your topic. While these sources are not scholarly, they are useful for:

  • Building a foundation of knowledge on your topic.
  • Generating ideas for more specific research questions.
  • Identifying useful search terms for when you move on to more academic databases.

Getting started

  1. Start with a basic web search:

    • Use Google or Wikipedia to look up general information about your topic. This will help you get a broad overview and may introduce you to key terms, major issues, or debates.
    • Browse your textbook for chapters or sections related to your topic to deepen your understanding.

  2. Document search terms used and new terms you discover

    • While exploring, take notes on important concepts, keywords, and related topics that could help guide your research.
    • Write down different ways your topic can be framed. For example, if you're researching populism and social media, think about related terms like "political communication," "online populism," or "social media influence."

  3. Use Encyclopedias or Other Reference Resources:

    • Encyclopedias and reference books (both print and online) are great for getting reliable, concise overviews of a topic. Check your library’s online catalog for relevant entries in political science encyclopedias or reference guides.
    • Look for specialized encyclopedias in political science or related fields to gain insights into more specific concepts.

 

Search tips for the MRU library search and individual databases

Quotation Marks: Use quotation marks around phrases to search for an exact sequence of words. This helps narrow down results by looking for the precise phrase you need.

 

AND: Use AND between different concepts to ensure that all your search terms appear in the results. This narrows your search by combining multiple ideas or requirements.

 

OR: Use OR between similar or related terms to broaden your search. This allows results to include any of the terms, giving you more flexibility in finding relevant sources.

 

Truncation: Use an asterisk (*) at the end of a word root to search for different word endings. This helps you find variations of a word, making your search more comprehensive.

 

Refine Your Search: Use the results you get to adjust and improve your search terms for better, more relevant sources.

1. Rule of Law and Justice System in Canada

  • Single terms: rule, justice, courts, police
  • Phrases: "rule of law," "justice system"
  • Using OR:
    • "police accountability" OR "police misconduct"
  • Combining with AND:
    • "police reforms" AND Canada AND "rule of law"
  • Truncation:
    • judici* (judiciary, judicial)

2. Environmentalism and Government Policy in Canada

  • Single terms: climate, policy, carbon, environment
  • Phrases: "environmental policy," "carbon tax"
  • Using OR:
    • "carbon tax" OR "carbon pricing"
  • Combining with AND:
    • "carbon tax" AND "policy effectiveness" AND Canada
  • Truncation:
    • environment* (environment, environmental)

3. Electoral System and Democratic Reform in Canada

  • Single terms: electoral, democracy, reform
  • Phrases: "electoral system," "proportional representation"
  • Using OR:
    • "electoral system" OR "voting system"
  • Combining with AND:
    • "electoral reform" AND "proportional representation" AND Canada
  • Truncation:
    • democrat* (democracy, democratic)

4. Nationalism in the Canadian Political Context

  • Single terms: nationalism, identity, politics
  • Phrases: "Canadian nationalism," "national identity"
  • Using OR:
    • "nationalism" OR "patriotism"
  • Combining with AND:
    • "nationalism" AND "political unity" AND Canada
  • Truncation:
    • national* (nation, nationalism)

5. Interest Groups and Political Participation in Canada

  • Single terms: interest, group, participation
  • Phrases: "interest groups," "political participation"
  • Using OR:
    • "interest groups" OR "advocacy organizations"
  • Combining with AND:
    • "interest groups" AND "political participation" AND Canada
  • Truncation:
    • particip* (participation, participate)

ACTIVITY: Search keywords brainstorm

Choose one topic from the list provided in your assignment instructions. Spend a few minutes doing some background reading to get familiar with the topic.

Next, think about a research question or specific angle you might want to explore, and come up with some search terms you could use.

In the Padlet below, click the + symbol to add a note. In your note, include the following:

  • The topic you selected
  • 6-8 keywords related to your topic
  • A search phrase you could use to find articles

(Open Padlet in a new window)

Made with Padlet

Filtering For Peer-Reviewed Articles

Use the Peer-reviewed and Articles filters under the Availability and Resource type headings, respectively

The peer-reviewed filter may include articles that aren't peer-reviewed. Remember to think about the characteristics of a peer-reviewed article.

Lock your filters for subsequent searches or they will reset

Click on the title of an article to find more information, including:

  • Author, journal, year, etc.
  • Subject terms - words that describe what the article is about
  • Abstract
  • Citation and linking tools
  • One or more links to the full text of the article

Use the subject terms and abstract to determine if the article is relevant and to get ideas for more search terms

Use a link under Access options to get to the full text of the article

What are Scholarly Journals?

Publications are released periodically that contain peer-reviewed research articles as well as other features of interest to scholars in an academic field. Other types of articles may include:

  • Book reviews
  • Opinion/Editorial articles
  • Brief research summaries
  • Conference reports
  • News from affiliated associations

Example Journal: Canadian Journal of Political Science, Volume 54, Issue 4, December 2021

Example Articles

Characteristics of peer-reviewed (or "refereed") articles in political science

  • Published in academic journals: Peer-reviewed articles are found in specialized journals like the Canadian Journal of Political Science and the Journal of Politics.
  • Reviewed by other academics: Before being published, these articles are reviewed by experts in the field to provide feedback and recommend changes. Note: Peer review is not a certification process.
  • In-Depth Research: The articles present new research or ideas, often based on data or case studies, and are written by scholars in political science.
  • Uses Clear Structure: They follow a specific format, usually including an introduction, methods, analysis, and conclusion.
  • Evidence-Based: Claims in the articles are supported by data or research, such as surveys or government reports.
  • Formal Language: The articles are written in a more formal, academic style and use political science terms.
  • Lots of Citations: They reference other scholarly work and reliable sources, like books, reports, or government documents.
  • Focused on Political Topics: Topics include things like government policies, political systems, elections, or international relations.

How do I know if and when a journal uses peer review before publishing articles?

  • You can usually find the journal's policies on their website (often in the instructions for authors)
  • Search for the journal in the Ulrichsweb directory and look for the striped jersey symbol, meaning it's refereed or peer-reviewed

Searching for a Particular Journal

You can find out if the library has a journal by searching for the title in the LibrarySearch box and selecting the Journals radio button. After you've completed your search, you can also browse journals by category.

Activity Instructions

1. Use the search you created previously to find a peer-reviewed article

2. Record the title of the article and the journal in the Padlet underneath your search terms (edit the box in which you recorded your search)

3. Confirm that the article and journal are peer-reviewed

Finding Books

Characteristics of a Scholarly Book

  • Scholarly books are written by experts in the field, who usually work at universities or research-related fields. You can usually find the authors' credentials near the front or the back of the book, or by googling them.
  • Scholarly books go through an extensive review process, much like articles
  • Scholarly books are often published by university presses (e.g. UBC Press, Oxford University Press) or a publisher that specializes in academic books (e.g. Routledge)
  • Scholarly books are often intended for other experts and may contain specialized language, although academic researchers may also write books for a more general audience

Monographs vs. Edited Books

  • Monographs are written entirely by the same author(s) to explore a topic in a coherent way. They may be broken down into chapters, but those are used to break up the analysis into logical divisions.
  • Edited books are ones in which each chapter is written by a different expert in the field. Edited books explore one overarching topic, but the chapters don't necessary connect directly to each other.
    • Authors may be invited to write a chapter on the topic for an edited book and will often do so separately from the other authors, or edited books may be compiled from previously written articles or papers
  • When you use monographs, cite the book as a whole. When you use edited books, cite the specific chapter you used. 
    • Remember: you are giving credit to the author of the information you used

Tips for Finding Scholarly Books

  • Use broader terms when searching for books
  • In LibrarySearch, the Peer-reviewed filter only applies to articles - don't use it for books
  • Use the Books filter under Resource Type
  • Edited books usually indicate that the creators are editors in your results list:​​​​​

 

  • Use the Locate tool in the book's record (i.e. description page) to help you find print books in the library

Citing Your Sources

Citation Guides

Detailed citation guides for APA and MLA can be found on the library website.

Examples

Journal Article

APA: Engesser, S., Ernst, N., Esser, F., & Büchel, F. (2017). Populism and social media: How politicians spread a fragmented ideology. Information, Communication & Society, 20(8), 1109–1126. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2016.1207697

MLA: Engesser, Sven, et al. “Populism and Social Media: How Politicians Spread a Fragmented Ideology.” Information, Communication & Society, vol. 20, no. 8, 2017, pp. 1109–26. Taylor & Francis Social Sciences and Humanities, https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2016.1207697.

Monograph

APA: Schroeder, R. (2018). Social Theory after the Internet: Media, Technology, and Globalization. UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781787351226

MLA: Schroeder, Ralph. Social Theory after the Internet: Media, Technology, and Globalization. UCL Press, 2018, https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781787351226.

Chapter in an Edited Book

APA: Moffitt, B. (2019). Populism 2.0: Social media and the false allure of “unmediated” representation. In G. Fitzi, J. Mackert, & B. Turner (Eds.), Populism and the Crisis of Democracy (pp. 30–46). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315108063-3

MLA: Moffitt, Benjamin. “Populism 2.0: Social Media and the False Allure of ‘Unmediated’ Representation.” Populism and the Crisis of Democracy, edited by Gregor Fitzi, et al. Routledge, 2019, pp. 30–46, https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315108063-3.

Librarian

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Erik Christiansen

Contact:
Email: echristiansen@mtroyal.ca
Phone: 403.440.5168
Office: EL4423C
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