Global Conflict and Human Security (GCHS)

You will be using scholarly and peer-reviewed articles.

• Scholarly (aka academic) articles are written by and for scholars and researchers - this means you!
• Peer reviewed (aka refereed) articles have been checked by other scholars BEFORE they're published.

Most databases will tell you if it's an article from a peer reviewed journal - see Publication Type near bottom of article information.

Not all articles in a peer-reviewed journal are peer-reviewed. You can check!

• Most databases have a "peer review" filter. If you use that filter and the article still shows up, it is most likely peer reviewed!
• Check the article information page in the database. It will sometimes state "peer-reviewed".
• Still unsure? Check the "About Us" page on the journal website - it will tell you if the journal is peer-reviewed, what type of articles they accept for peer review, and describe their peer-review process.

A literature review is how you join the conversation on your topic. It...

• You are an informed researcher/applicant
• Situates your work within the knowledge base (theory & practice) of your field
• Supports your research idea/proposal or identifies a gap needing further research
• Provides ideas for research design; for example, quantitative or qualitative approaches or instruments to use
• Provides credibility to grant proposals