Google Scholar gathers academic articles and classifies them according to authors, publication location, and citation record. This means that the best results usually represent the most reliable research on the topic. Browsing open access journals, databases of research articles, and academic websites and trying to find high-quality sources for your research can really turn your head around. What makes up a reliable database? What resource is useful for your discipline and research topic? How can you find and access full-text peer-reviewed articles? You can search for academic sources online using databases and search engines such as Google Scholar.
These provide a range of search functions that can help you find the most relevant sources. In the third article in this series, we'll look at how to demonstrate to A-level examiners that they can assess the accuracy of sources. In the past, people didn't always make an impression that was consistent with the data we had. Good historians will compare the information presented by any source with what they already know about the period.
CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy and Purpose. Use the CRAAP test to evaluate your sources. EconBiz has an incredibly useful research skills section, with resources such as Guided Walk, a service that helps students and researchers navigate searches, evaluate sources and correctly cite references; the EconDesk Research Guide, a help desk for answering specific questions and providing tips to facilitate the search for literature; and the academic careers kit for what they call early-career researchers. OpenDOAR, or the Directory of Open Access Repositories, is a comprehensive resource for finding free open access journals and articles.
With a stated commitment to emphasizing openness, collaboration, and scholarship, the arXiv e-Print Archive is an excellent STEM resource. Although initially focused on resources related to physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering, BioMed Central has diversified to include journals covering a wider range of disciplines, with the goal of providing a unique platform that provides OA articles for a variety of research needs. These resources allow you to access free articles online so you can carry out your research without having to pay anything. The interface isn't as user-friendly as some of the other databases available, and the website hosts a blog with news and updates, but it's otherwise a simple math and science resource.
A unique, easy-to-use resource, Semantic Scholar defines itself not only as a research database, but also as a search and discovery tool. If you don't know any specific history database, if you visit a repository or index of journals and search for “academic history journals”, you'll get a list of specific history journals and provide you with a starting point for your research. Linguaskill is a quick and practical online test that helps higher education institutions and employers to check the English levels of individuals and groups of candidates. The peer review process provides legitimacy, as it is a rigorous review of the content of an article carried out by academics and academics who are experts in their field of study.
This site contains resources related to the CIA as an organization and is not specifically a database of scientific journals. Peer-reviewed journal articles are the best for academic research, and there are several databases where you can find peer-reviewed OA journal articles. For example, Paperity can be a great resource for both a chemist and a linguist, and there are databases that are more specific to a given field.
