Ways to find out if your source is open access or restricted through a paywall or subscription fee:
1. Find the title of the journal or book in which your source is published.
Schuetze, C. (2015). Narrative fortresses: crisis narratives and conflict in the conservation of Mount Gorongosa, Mozambique. Conservation and Society 13(2): 141–53. DOI: 10.4103/0972-4923.164193. <https://www.jstor.org/stable/26393193>
In this example, Conservation and Society is the title of the journal in which the article is published. "Narrative fortresses: crisis narratives and conflict in the conservation of Mount Gorongosa, Mozambique" is the title of the article. Journals contain several articles per issue, just like a magazine or newspaper.
2. Google the title of the journal or book to find its home page or website.
3. Other methods:
Peer-reviewed articles, often called scholarly or refereed, are articles that are critiqued by reviewers prior to publication. The reviewers are often anonymous, and their expertise comes from being scholars or experts in the field that the article/journal is published in. Reviewers are asked to judge the quality of the article by addressing the validity of the research, whether or not the methods chosen address the question(s) asked, and the accuracy of the data. If an article does not meet standards set by the journal it is usually sent back for revisions or is rejected for publication.
Some common characteristics of peer-reviewed articles are:
An article that meets one or more of the above criteria is likely to be peer-reviewed, however non-peer-reviewed resources may also have some of these traits.
What Are Primary Sources
Primary sources are the direct, uninterpreted records of the subject of your research project. As such, a primary source can be almost anything, depending on the subject and purpose of your research. Be creative in thinking of possible relevant primary sources of information on your topic.
Why Use Primary Sources?
Types of Primary Sources:
Learn the difference between three major types of articles. Get tips for using each type.
Direct link to "Popular, Scholarly, or Trade?" on MSU Mediaspace
Video credit: Emilia Marcyk