As you research, you're going to come across many articles from journals you might be unfamiliar with. So how do you know if the article you've found is from a top tier journal? Or if you are publishing a conference proceeding or an article, how do you know if you are choosing the best journal for your field?
Ultimately, you make the decision. There are however, tools to help you such as the Canadian Association of Research Libraries' guide on how to assess a journal. Andersen Library also has a few resources you can use to help you determine which articles might be more valuable:
One way to determine an article's value is to check the number of times it has been cited. There are several sources you can check to find this information.
A multidisciplinary database with citations to thousands of journals, books, and published proceedings in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Peer-reviewed journals, business trade journals, and news, in both full-text coverage plus indexing and abstracts dating back as far as 1886.
The following video will provide a general overview on the content and purpose of a literature review.
A Synthesis matrix is a tool to help organize your sources and main ideas for your literature review. The following links are downloads to the Excel version and PDF version of a synthesis matrix. Feel free to revise as it best suits your needs.
