Tips

Use Strategic searching

✓ Combine keyword and subject searching.
✓ Combine multiple subjects.
✓ Combine a previous search or add new terms to a previous search.
✓ In psychology databases, use the Advanced search page limiters to refine your search and for targeted results.
✓ Filter results by Date, Peer-Reviewed, Methodology, Classification, Subjects and other available limiters to refine your search.

Use Relevant Search Terms

Start with a simple keyword search then add terms that describe your concept(s), topic or subject. Use keywords from your thesis statement and include descriptive terms.combine a subject/thesaurus term with a keyword search.

For example, What is the assignment? What type of resources or articles are needed? Depending upon the assignment, an effective search may also include some of the following descriptive terms:

Methodology Examples:

  • treatment or outcome
  • quantitative study
  • qualitative study
  • clinical trial
  • experiment
  • research study
  • report

Examples of Descriptive Terms:

  • integrat* (integrated, integration, integrate)
  • application*
  • strateg* (strategy, strategies)
  • technique*
  • treatement
  • strength
  • outcome*
  • impact*
  • effect* (effects, effective, effectiveness)

Evaluate Sources

Evaluate your resources for authority, timeliness, and relevance.

What are the assignment requirements? While searching, limit your resources to peer-reviewed, scholarly articles. Set date restrictions for current articles and research.

Is the article a primary or secondary source? What type of research or methodology is demonstrated, if any? (theoretical study, case study, cause and effect experiment, survey, etc.)

Search Strategies

Boolean Operator Strategy Examples of key terms for searching
AND Use to search different concepts together; produces fewer results culture AND education
OR Use to link similar terms; produces more results disabilities OR special needs
NOT Use to specify a term you do not want in the search results (children OR child) AND disabilities NOT therapy

 

Other Search Techniques Strategy Examples of key terms for searching
Truncation (*) Searches the ROOT of a word ended with *; searches alternative endings educat* AND culture
Searches: educate, educates, education AND culture, cultures, cultural
Use fewer concepts Increases number of results child* AND disabil*
Use more concepts Decreases number of results child* AND disabil* AND educat*
Phrase Search Use quotation marks to search an exact phrase "children with disabilities" AND educat* AND cultur*

Search Examples

Shown below are search variation examples for several topics.
Remember to use appropriate "Limit To" options, such as scholarly/peer reviewed, date, full text, etc. Try the searches below in APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection databases.

DE=Thesaurus or Subject term
Use quotations to search a phrase.
Use an asterisk (*) at the end of a word to search alternative endings.

Examples:

  • "positive psychology" AND (procrastination OR "time management"}
  • DE "Positive Psychology" AND ( technique* OR application* OR intervention)
  • "learning theory" AND (eating AND (habit or disorder or cue) )
  • "theory of planned behavior" AND "eating habits"
  • "theory of planned behavior" AND ( application or practice) AND ( effect* or predict* )
  • DE "Learning Theory" AND (technique or application)
  • DE "Learning Theory"
    Limit to Age Group: "Young Adulthood" (18-29 years old); Methodology: Clinical Case Study
  • ( (quiet time or meditation) AND prayer ) AND theory
  • ( (quiet time or meditation) AND prayer ) AND ( well-being or "mental health" )
  • DE "Learning Theory" AND ( meditation or prayer or "quiet time" )

When articles are not available in full text, view the article record to identify other closely related subjects and key terms to search.

How to Limit Your Results to Age Group, Methodology, Document Type, & More

APA PsycInfo has a variety of special limiters relevant to psychology.

After you have done a search, use the limiters available in the left menu to narrow the results to a specific age group, subject, document type, methodology and more. Or, before you begin your search, set some limiters. First, click on All filters, then in the right hand popup window, set your desired limits

setting limits in database