When you find a good article that is relevant to your research topic, look at the references at the end of the article to identify additional titles to locate for your research.
The best sources for recent research in a field are articles from journals and magazines. Most cutting-edge research in any field will appear in journals first.
Peer-reviewed journals, also called scholarly or refereed journals, are a great source of authoritative information. Articles in a refereed journal are reviewed and evaluated by experts in the field prior to publication. This process assures the reader that the content is reliable and timely. Articles from scholarly journals often provide the most current and detailed information on a topic.
Journal articles on specific topics can be found by searching the library's electronic databases. Electronic databases make it easy to find peer-reviewed articles. Most databases have a box you can check to limit your results to peer-reviewed publications.
Please note: Electronic databases describe what has been published, not what Mabee Library owns.
A general database is a good place to begin all searches. It will help you focus your topic and identify search terms.
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Comprehensive source for articles from leading journals and reference sources. Extensive coverage of physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, arts, religion, literature, and other subjects. Content: Citations, abstracts, and selected full-text. Coverage: 1901 - present.
A subject-specific database will help you find articles related to specific disciplines, such as education, allied health, social work, nursing, history, psychology, art, music, etc.
Because of the research you complete for liberal studies, you may find it necessary to search many different subject-specific databases. Follow this link to the Articles & Databases page to search subject-specific databases.
Articles not owned by Mabee Library may be requested from another library using a service called "interlibrary loan." This service is free to ALL Washburn students, faculty, and staff.
To place an interlibrary loan request, complete the form.
