TSEM 102: Islam and the West (Schmitz)

Here is the Course Guide for Islam and the West.

Start here with Cook One Search (Our discovery tool) if you have a vague idea of what you need. The Cook Library Catalog takes you to print and electronic holdings in our library, including books and government publications. Make use of other topic guides for library research 

Further down, search principles to remember can greatly assist discovering the right materials for your particular research.

An article that is "peer-reviewed" refers to articles that have undergone a rigorous review process, often including revisions to the original manuscript, by peers in their discipline, before publication in a scholarly journal. Other ways to describe a peer-reviewed article include: empirical studies, review articles, scholarly articles, academic articles, or research articles.

How can you tell if a publication is peer-reviewed?

1. Check the journal home page. A quick Google search of the journal title will allow you to locate most journal home pages, and the description of the journal will notify you if the journal content is peer-reviewed.
2. Check the publication date. Often peer-reviewed articles will have two dates: a date of submission and a date of acceptance. 
3. Be careful: a peer-reviewed journal can contain non-peer reviewed articles such as brief news items, short communications, or editorials. Always look over the content of the article to be sure.

The line between what is considered scholarly and non-scholarly continues to blur as it becomes easier to create and share information. Sometimes you need to use a combination of different information types. This means you need to be able to carefully evaluate each source you use.

Some questions you may consider in your evaluation of identified sources include:

• Who created or produced the information?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Why was the information created?
• Can you verify the claims a source makes with other sources you find in your research?

Primary and Secondary Sources

You may also consider whether you need to consult primary or secondary sources information sources. Specific types of primary and secondary sources vary for different topics, but in general:

• Primary sources are original information, created around the time or place you're researching, or authored by the person who generated the research. Examples could include historic newspaper articles, original research papers, or datasets.
• Secondary sources have been interpreted or evaluated by somebody before reaching you. They may contain commentary, review, discussion, or analysis. Examples include a journalist reporting about a scientific finding or an entry in an encyclopedia.