COMC 2277: Media & Sexuality (Prof. Moorman): Finding Peer Review Articles

Keywords

The title of the media text you chose to analyze is an important keyword for database searching along with subjects or themes (i.e. "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" AND masculinity).

► You may have to broaden your search to find peer reviewed articles. Try the following strategies:

• Search a subject/theme and the format of your media text (i.e. homosocial AND film).
• Search for articles on another film/video/media object that portrays similar themes.
• Search for articles covering the cultural and historical context portrayed in the media text.
• Check the cited sources of a book or article to find additional sources.
• Keywords that should help depending on the context:
  • queering or queer reading or queerbaiting
  • homosocial
  • homoerotic* 
  • gender or femininity or masculinity 
  • sexuality or sex
  • normativity or heteronormativity or homonormativity 
• If you are struggling to find relevant peer review articles, ask a librarian for help.

Boolean Search

Use Boolean Operators [AND, OR, NOT] and Modifiers [ "", *, ( ) ] to structure your search terms within a database to maximize your results.

Most library databases provide templates to organize Boolean searches i.e. Moonlight AND Barry Jenkins:

Another example is YouTubers AND lesbian or gay or bisexual or transgender or LGBTQ:

See the Search Strategies page on the LGBTQ Studies guide for more context & tips.

Try Multiple Databases

► Different databases license different journals. Thorough research will require searching in multiple databases for peer review articles.

Check the boxes in each database to limit your search to Peer Review and Academic Journals.

Subject Specific Databases by ProQuest

Subject Specific Databases by EBSCO

Not finding the information you need?

Chat live with a librarian to get some help.

Use the Finding Books + OneSearch page to locate peer reviewed books covering Film, Television, and/or Media Studies.

Scholarly or peer-reviewed articles feature original research written by experts to expand a field of study. Peer review articles:

• Undergo a process of peer review where other experts who work in the same field evaluate the evidence presented in the article.

• Are aimed at scholars, students, and others looking for a deeper understanding of issues.

• Are published in journals by universities, professional associations, or academic publishers.

• Usually consist of 8-10 or more pages.

• Always include cited references in bibliographies.

• PhD dissertations and MA theses are not peer reviewed. Instead, check their cited sources to find peer review articles on a similar topic.

► Most databases offer options where researchers can limit their results to peer reviewed articles from academic or scholarly journals. Here is an example from EBSCO:

►  Still unsure about the articles you are finding?

Go to a journal's website via Google to verify. Search the website under general publication descriptions, mission statements, submission guidelines, etc. for references to “peer review,” “review process,” or being “refereed.”