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.

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:

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.)

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. The searches below were done 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:

• opens new window"positive psychology" AND (procrastination OR "time management"}
• opens new windowDE "Positive Psychology" AND ( technique* OR application* OR intervention)
• opens new window(DE "POSITIVE psychology") AND (DE "PROCRASTINATION")

• opens new window"learning theory" AND (eating AND (habit or disorder or cue) )
• opens new window"theory of planned behavior" AND "eating habits"
• opens new window"theory of planned behavior" AND ( application or practice) AND ( effect* or predict* )

• opens new windowDE "Learning Theory" AND (technique or application)
• opens new windowDE "Learning Theory" - Limited to Age Group: "Young Adulthood" (18-29 years old); Methodology: Clinical Case Study
  Sample article: opens new window"Does manager servant leadership lead to follower serving behaviors? It depends on follower self-interest."

• opens new window( (quiet time or meditation) AND prayer ) AND theory
• opens new window( (quiet time or meditation) AND prayer ) AND ( well-being or "mental health" )
• opens new windowDE "Learning Theory" AND ( meditation or prayer or "quiet time" )

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

opens new windowAPA 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 on the Advanced Search page (show below).