Psychology Research

This image shows the advanced search screen of the PsycINFO database. This is what you will see when you first access PsycINFO through the library's website (minus the giant colored arrows). All you have to do to search the database is enter terms into the search fields at the top. However, the colored arrows highlight some tips and features that will make your searches better.

Thesaurus (Red arrow): The Thesaurus is a feature that allows you to look up the terms that PsycINFO uses for certain concepts. For example, if you were researching hearing and considered using the search term "acoustic stimuli," the Thesaurus tells you that in PsycINFO you should use the term "auditory stimulation" instead. Additionally, the Thesaurus allows you to select and search for multiple subtopics within a larger concept simultaneously. For more information on how to use the Thesaurus, view the brief tutorial video below. 

Methodology (Purple arrow): If your assignment calls for you to use a particular type of research article, this Methodology limiter is a great tool. To ensure that all of your search results are primary research articles rather than review or theoretical articles, select "Empirical Study" from the list of methodologies. 

Folder/My EBSCOhost (Green arrow): The folder feature is an extremely useful way to keep track of any articles you find during your searches. You can add items to the folder without an account, but they will disappear when you close your web browser. To make sure the items stay in your folder permanently, create a free My EBSCOhost account by clicking the "Sign In" button and creating a username and password. This folder will be present in any EBSCOhost database, including OneSearch, and once you have created an account you can log in with the username and password each time you use one of the databases. To add items to the folder simply click on the small folder icon in the right corner of each article description.