alexander mack memorial library

Instruction Session- Young PSY 230 Fall 09

Page history last edited by Cori Biddle 2 mos ago

Useful Eresources

Find links to these under the eResources 2.0 page

Remember that you can access all our databases off campus!

§ Blackwell Synergy (now Wiley Interscience) (abstracts and full text)

§ psycARTICLES (abstracts and full text)

§ Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection (abstracts and full text)

§ psycINFO (abstracts)

§ Medline/PubMed (abstracts)

Tips to Keep in mind while Searching

Databases

§ Use the Advanced Search options as ways to narrow or limit your search results

§ Explore the subject terms or thesaurus terms you can use instead of a normal keyword search. (They are standardized so you don’t have to worry about synonyms or homographs)

§ After finding a useful article check the subjects or keywords attached to it. This can lead you to more efficient search terms.

§ Remember that Periodical Locator can find the full text of articles in varying databases.

When you come across materials you need but we don’t have full text access, fill out an Interlibrary Loan request (just remember to allow a few days for delivery).

Search Tips that Span the Information Universe

§ Remember to use Boolean Operators

o AND will produce results containing BOTH terms (e.g. birds AND bees)

o OR generates results that contain EITHER term (e.g. dogs OR canines)

o NOT results will include the first term, but not the second (cats NOT musical)

§ Quotation marks will isolate that phrase: “natural selection” lists results containing only that specific phrase, but results for natural selection would contain natural AND selection somewhere, not necessarily side by side.

Evaluation Criteria

Use these questions to tell whether a source is reliable

§ Who is the author of this information?

Does the author have any sort of authority regarding the topic? Why they are presenting this information? Be aware that the author might have some sort of bias or alternative goal of misinformation.

§ When was the information published?

If the information is a book or article, check the copyright date to make sure that the information is up to date. A good website always indicates when the page was last updated. Out of date information is just as bad as information that is completely false.

§ Where was the information located?

Check the type of book, magazine, or URL. A scholarly journal or book has stricter standards than popular books or magazines. If the website is affiliated with a recognized academic institution or organization, then it will usually be more trustworthy than a personal site.

§ Is the information accurate?

Does the author(s) provide a list of where they got their information? These lists allow you to verify their research, along with providing you with additional resources pertaining to your topic.

Popular VS Scholarly Sources

Usually you can look at the following areas to make your decision.

§ Publisher

Is the publisher a professional organization or association? Is the publisher affiliated with an academic institution?

§ Masthead (first few pages)

For print articles, do they outline the submission procedure? Does it say that the periodical is peer reviewed or refereed?

§ Graphics

Are the graphics tables, diagrams or other illustrations which support the articles? Or are they glossy photos/illustrations that enhance the text?

§ Language

Is the terminology used in the titles or abstracts particular to that specific discipline? Or is the subject explained in common terms?

§ Authors

Does the periodical list the authors’ credentials and affiliations with the profession? Or are the authors professional/ freelance journalists?