PS 215 Research Methods

Instruction Librarian: Kristen Hindes
Office: Library 205 x2590
khindes@smcvt.edu
Reference hours: M-TH 10:00-9:00 F 10:00-5 SU 1-8

RefWorks
RefWorks allows you to create bibliographies, import references from online databases, and organize your references in folders. Initial sign up for an account must be done on campus.

ProQuest Psychology Journals
Access to 620 psychology publications, with over 520 titles available in full text. Includes 4,000 full text dissertations. 

PsycINFO
Citations and abstracts of journal articles, book chapters and book literature in psychology and related disciplines
Journal coverage is 1887-present from over 2200 periodicals in 27 languages
Book coverage is 1987-present, English language material only
Over 2.5 million citations

Going beyond keyword searching--Using the Thesaurus or Subject Searching

• controlled vocabulary that helps you find the descriptors (subject headings) for your search terms
• hierarchy that permits searching various levels--broader, narrower, and related
• for example:

	Child Day Care
		Year Term Introduced	1973
		Scope Note	Day care that provides for a child's physical needs and often his/her developmental or educational needs. Kinds of day care include day care centers and school-based programs.
		Broader Terms	Child Care
		Related Terms	Child Care Workers
			Child Self Care
			Child Welfare
			Day Care Centers
			Quality of Care

QQuick Search

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Limiting your search (Refine Search)

• Year
• Population
• Age group
• Language

Database access

• SMC page
• Library
• Databases OR Research by Subject/Psychology
• PsycINFO

Getting to the article

• Full text
• Check for full text
• Check library catalog
• Request Interlibrary Loan

Combining Search Terms--Boolean operators

AND

OR

NOT

Finding Psychological Tests

• Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) http://www.unl.edu/buros/
• Using PsycINFOand Dissertations and Theses Full Text databases by searching for a known test OR by limiting the publications to dissertations and searching for your topic
• example: creativity and (test or survey or questionnaire)