Psychology: Find Peer Reviewed Articles
Databases to find Peer Reviewed Articles in Psychology
Search these databases to find articles on topics related to psychology. While some of these databases only contain peer-reviewed articles, in others, you will need to check a box to limit your search to peer-reviewed (also called scholarly) articles. I would also suggest looking at the full list of library databases if your topic is multidisciplinary. Some research projects might require searching in areas such as gender studies, gerontology, or communication studies, for which we have specific subject databases.
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new windowStart here if you are looking for scholarly (peer-reviewed) psychology articles. PsycINFO is the single most comprehensive psychology article collection. Full-text articles from PsycARTICLES are included here. View the PsycINFO handout.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowGoogle Scholar searches the web for scholarly articles, reports, books, and other materials. If using Google Scholar from a PCC campus, you can access full text articles. If PCC has access to an article, a "Find it @ PCC" link will appear to the right of the search result. Click “Find it @ PCC” to go to the library catalog where you will be offered a choice to view the article. From home, you will need to set your Google Scholar preferences to access PCC Library resources. See How to Search PCC Library on Google Scholar for directions on how to set your Google Scholar preferences at home.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new windowFull text for more than 4,500 scholarly social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multi-cultural journals. 3,700 are peer-reviewed.
- ScienceDirect This link opens in a new windowFull text for more than 1,000 peer-reviewed life sciences, Health Science, physical sciences, and engineering journals with citation information for thousands more. Look for the "Full-text available" indicators to view articles online. View "How to Use Science Direct" .
- PubMedPubMed contains 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites. Full text not available? Use PCC Library Interlibrary Loan to request the article, and receive it in 3-5 days.
- PTSDpubs This link opens in a new windowThis database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and focuses on the mental health consequences of exposure to traumatic events. Subject coverage includes traumatic stress and mental health, assessment, prevention, treatment, mental health services, professional ethics, public policy, and traumatized populations.
Other Useful Interdisciplinary Databases for Finding Articles
These databases might contain useful content depending on your research topic.
- Ageline This link opens in a new windowAgeLine focuses exclusively on the population aged 50 and issues of aging. It includes aging-related content from the Health Science, psychology, sociology, social work, economics, and public policy.
- Communication and Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new windowFull-text articles relating to all aspects of communication and mass media.
- Criminal Justice (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new windowWhether studying to become a lawyer or law enforcement officer, paralegal, forensic scientist or for a career in Homeland Security, this collection offers more than 700 journals.
- ERIC (Educational Resource Information Center) This link opens in a new windowERIC, the Educational Resource Information Center from the U.S. Dept. of Education, lists journal articles and educational documents (lesson plans, studies, etc.). 1966 - present.
- GenderWatch This link opens in a new windowFocusing on how gender impacts diverse subject areas, resources include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, as well as NGO and government publications. Archival material from as early as 1970 provides a historical perspective on the women's movement, men's studies, the transgendered community, and changes in gender roles. View the GenderWatch handout
- Gender Studies (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new windowThis collection of more than 30 journals aims to provide balanced coverage of this significant aspect of our culture, covering such topics as gender studies, family and marital issues, health aspects, and many more.
- ScienceDirect This link opens in a new windowFull text for more than 1,000 peer-reviewed life sciences, Health Science, physical sciences, and engineering journals with citation information for thousands more. Look for the "Full-text available" indicators to view articles online. View "How to Use Science Direct" .
Types of Articles
There are many different types of articles. The chart below can help you figure out which type(s) you're looking for or identify an article you've already found:
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News articles provide the most current information. Certain newspapers, such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, are also known for thoughtful, in-depth analyses of important topics and events. |
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Popular magazine articles can help you generate ideas about issues, controversies, or unanswered questions about a topic, which you might want to explore further. They sometimes refer to studies or scholarly work that you can track down for more information. |
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Trade publications are written by and for professionals within an industry. These are an excellent source of very specific information from inside the field. |
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Scholarly journal articles go through a process of peer review before they are published. They are written by experts in the field (the people with letters after their name!) and their purpose is to advance the ongoing body of work within the discipline. These articles might present original research data and findings, or take a position on a key question within the field. They can be difficult to read, because their intended audience is other experts and academics, but they are at the top of the line when it comes to authoritative information. |
Have a research assignment? Try the Psychology Research Tutorial!
This interactive tutorial will help you find quality sources for your Biological Anthropology assignment using Library databases and Google Scholar.
Finding Articles with PsycINFO
Video: Finding Quality Sources with Google Scholar
What is Peer Review?
- Alt Text for What is Peer Review Infographic PCC LibGuidesThis is longform alt text for the "What is Peer Review?" Infographic.
This work by PCC Library is licensed by Portland Community College under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.- Last Updated: May 19, 2025 4:17 PM
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Subjects: Counseling, Social Science