Foundations of Interpersonal Neurobiology: Concept tutorials

This course guide is to connect students in PCC's IPNB Certificate Program with PCC Library resources.

Library and research concepts

Below are videos and materials that introduce some concepts that may be useful if you are unfamiliar with using journal articles in research:

  • Background research
  • Types of articles
  • Library databases
  • Peer review process for scientific and scholarly journal articles
  • How to read a scientific article
  • Citing sources

Background research

Don't get lost in your topic!  Always start your research project by doing some background reading.   This will help you to understand the context of your topic so you can research more effectively.  You may also decide that you want to change the focus of your research as you learn more about your topic.  Your background readings will also help you find search terms that will help you as you continue your research. 

Watch this 4 minute video on using wikipedia and library online encyclopedias to start your research:

What are library databases

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:

Decorative image of a newspaper 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.
Decorative image of a magazine cover 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.
Decorative image of a trade magazine cover Trade publications are written by and for professionals within an industry. These are an excellent source of very specific information from inside the field.
Decorative image of a scholarly journal cover 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.

What is Peer Review?

Infographic describing the peer-review process.