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.

Search Strategies

Search Expressions

For primary research, include relevant terms in your search, such as report, research, "purpose of the study", experiment, survey, etc.

Browse the broader, narrower and related terms in the thesaurus or subject terms for more targeted results and to see relationship between various topics.

Try the following Search examples in the indicated databases:

  • "history of pragmatism" AND psychology AND theory
    (in APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection)
  • William James AND pragmatism AND (history or significance)
    (in APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection)
  • ( DE "Psychosocial Development" OR DE "Childhood Play Development" OR DE "Personality Development" OR DE "Psychosexual Development" ) AND "history of psychology"
    (in APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection)
  • (DE "Psychology and religion" OR Bible -- Psychology...) AND psychological theor*
    (in Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials PLUS)

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.)