Peer Review is a process that journals use to ensure the articles they publish represent the best scholarship currently available. When an article is submitted to a peer reviewed journal, the editors send it out to other scholars in the same field (the author's peers) to get their opinion on the quality of the scholarship, its relevance to the field, its appropriateness for the journal, etc.
Publications that don't use peer review (Time, Cosmo, Salon) just rely on the judgement of the editors whether an article is up to snuff or not. That's why you can't count on them for solid, scientific scholarship.
Different tools for reporting AND finding information:
Articles really zero in on specific aspects of a topic. Academic articles (aka: peer reviewed or scholarly) in particular present a very narrow focus and report on actual research done by experts in that field of study. Peer reviewed articles have to go through a rigorous process of review by other experts in that field before publication.
Books generally provide IN-DEPTH overviews, background and specific information on a topic. In other words, books provide a very holistic view of a topic.
Reference sources provide BASIC OVERVIEWS of and FACTS on a topic. These are great tools to start with! Use them to help you create a list of keywords for searching and fill in the Who? What? When? Where? Why? story of your topic.
Databases are only smart enough to play the matching game with your keywords!
Me: Match ONE keyword for me!
Research Tool: Here are items that contain that ONE keyword:
Me: Match TWO keywords for me!
Research Tool: Here are items that contain BOTH of those keywords:
Me: Match THREE keywords for me!
Research Tool: Here are items that contain ALL THREE keywords:
Me: Match THREE keywords for me and find alternate endings for "art" and "paint"!
Research Tool: Here are items that contain ALL THREE keywords with alternate endings on "art" and "paint":
Google plays the matching game, too! (more or less)
Which search statement would give you the FEWEST number of hits? (Tip: the * picks up alternate endings. study* = study, studying)
