PSYCHOLOGY 210
Goal: To give an overview of the use of PsycINFO and Social Science Citation Index.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. PSYCINFO
B. SOCIAL SCIENCE CITATION INDEX
C. OTHER LIBRARY DATABASES AND RESOURCES
D. OBTAINING COPIES OF PAPERS
E. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FURTHER
ASSISTANCE
F. EXERCISE
Accessing PsycINFO
PsycINFO is on the library's webpage
of database. If you are off campus, make sure that you have set up
the proxy server.
Go to the top of the webpage just mentioned to find information about
the proxy server.
Content and Coverage of PsycINFO
"Journal articles, chapters, books, dissertations, and
reports on psychology and related fields"
"Why select this database?
Includes international material selected
from
periodicals written in over 25 languages
since
1887
Includes current chapter and book coverage
with
worldwide English-language material
published
from 1987-present
Adds over 55,000 references annually
through
monthly updates"
"Psychology and psychological aspects of related disciplines:
anthropology nursing business pharmacology education
physiology law
psychiatry linguistics sociology medicine"
(quoted material above is from OCLC FirstSearch search interface)
Searching PsycINFO
(1.) The PsycINFO search screen--we will use the "Advanced" screen
(2.) PsycINFO records--concept of indexing. Set of tools that help you obtain more focused results than a simple "free text" search. See handout.
(3.) Overview of searching: see this Generic
Searching Guide
Sample Searches
(a.) Find articles about academic achievement of deaf college students.
Hint: start with a keyword search using deaf and college and students. A keyword search finds information int eh descriptor, title, abstract, key phrase (identifier), and table of contents fields. Look at the descriptors in search results ("records") that look especially relevant. Then "bootstrap" your way to a potentially more focused search.
--------------------
(b.) Find articles that explore the relationship between attention deficit disorder and reading disorders.
Hint: follow the same procedure as in the previous example, but starting out with different keywords.
--------------------
(c.) Find English language journal articles for 1997-2001 about juvenile delinquency among school age children (6–12 yrs).
Hint: start with a keyword search, then look at the indexing to find what descriptor term is best. Or, alternatively, use the subject search feature to find the relevant thesaurus term. Use the handout to find if the 6-12 year age range is covered.
--------------------
Before moving on, take a look at previous searches.
--------------------
(d.) Find a test that looks for honesty in employees.
Hint: See the classification
codes. Use the 2228 classification code ("Occupational & Employment
Testing"), conjoined with "honesty".
--------------------
(e). Find the various ways in which the name Smith, J.
might appear in the database.
Hint: Use the author phrase browse index.
More about PsycINFO
TIPS:
Do not use the limit to full text feature. You may not get everything
that is available at Lehigh.
Don't assume that because an item does not have the "temple and book"
icon, that we do not have it.
Use the thesaurus search feature.
Always check ASA for local holdings and availability of electronic
formats.
If you want to learn more about PsycINFO or how to search it, see the following:
Allows you to start with a document and find references that cite
it. This way you can build up a bibliography of related works.
Access
CD: CDs are loaded on a computer behind the help desk in the lobby of Fairchild-Martindale. Years represented are -present.
Paper: The paper version of Social Science Citation Index is
also available ?
Online tutorials
Journals covered
Click here to see what journals are covered in Social Science Citation Index.
Note the various subject areas of coverage for psychology.
For more information. . .
PsycINFO and Social Science Citation Index are only two of the databases that Lehigh's libraries make available. See here for an alphabetical and subject breakdown of databases. NOTE: Academic Index is an example of another database that has coverage of the psychological literature.
Check out the Infodome section for Psychology.
If you have used bibliographic databases to find references and abstracts for papers that look interesting, how do you actually locate the paper(s) that are of interest to you?
(1.) First, check ASA to see if Lehigh has the journal, either in paper or electronic format. Go here for information about ASA.
(Also, check to see if there is a full text linkage from the bibliographic database you search.)
(2.) You may want to see if one of the regional libraries has the journal.
(3.) You may order the article through interlibrary
loan.
An additional way to find papers: browse the tables of contents of recent issues or archived (bound) copies in the library, or look for relevant electronic journals browsable here by title or linked on ASA.
At any point in your research, contact Brian Simboli if you have any questions. Contact info: x5003; brs4@lehigh.edu; office Room 633 in Fairchild-Martindale Library; and, Tuesday afternoons usually in the consulting office behind the help desk on the first floor of the library.
(1.) Redo, this time on your own, the sample exercises listed
above.
(2.) Do a search on an area that you are interested in. First
do a "quick and dirty" keyword search. Then use limiters, truncators, logical
connectors, and indexing to do a focused search.