Useful eResources

Find links to these under the eResources 2.0 page

 

Academic Search Complete*

Wiley InterScience (Listed under Blackwell Synergy)*

Health Source: Consumer Edition*

Health Source: Health/Academic Edition

Medline

Nature*

PsycARTICLES

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

 

*best databases to look for secondary sources

 

 

Useful Reference Resources (Print)

 

The Blackwell Dictionary of Cognitive Psychology                                              R 153.03 B632 1991

The Blackwell Dictionary of Neuropsychology                                                     R 612.8 B632 1996

The Corsini Encyclopediaof Psychology and Behavioral Science                   R 150.3 C826e 2001

Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, & Addictive Behavior                                      R 362.29 E567 2001

Encyclopedia of Mental Health                                                                                  R 616.89 E56m 1998

The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine                                                                          R 610.3 G151 2002

The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences                                                  R 153.03 M679 1999

 

Searching ALEX

To find materials in our collection use both the Subject Terms Neurology and Neuroscience.

 

 

Tips to Keep in mind while Searching

Databases

§  Databases organize/search information differently, so check the help feature before you begin

§  Look for ways to narrow or limit your results (this can weed out a lot of false hits)

§  See if the database has a list of subject terms you can use instead of a keyword search. (They are standardized so you don’t have to worry about synonyms or homographs)

§  After you find one 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 1-2 weeks 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.

§  Truncation allows you to search for variances of terms. Astro* gives you results which can include the terms: astronomer, astronomy, astrology, astronaut, etc. Some database’s use different symbols, so check their help features.

 

 

Tips on Evaluating Sources (Print and Web)

Review the following characteristics:

                Currency

                                Is the information current or up to date?

                Point of View

                                Is the information biased in any way? Is it trying to misinform the reader?

                Authorship/Accountability

                                Does the writer have any authority on the topic? What are his/her credentials?

                Publication

In what publication was it published? What are the submission policies? For websites, with what organization/publication are they affiliated? What agenda may they have?

                Audience

                                To whom is the information geared? Scholars or general audiences?

                Accuracy/Verifiability

Does the information appear accurate? Can it be verified or corroborated by another reliable source? Does the author provide a bibliography?