PsycINFO Tutorial

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PsycINFO Tutorial

• Feb 19th Thurs, 1pm 3pm
• Email clbky_at_nus.edu.sg

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Objectives

• To introduce you to the basics of literature
  search.
• To familiarize you with searching for information
  in PsycINFO through practice.

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Learning Outcomes

• Make use of Basic Search to find relevant
  articles.
• Access full text of at least 1 journal article in
  PsycINFO.
• Access full text of at least 1 journal article
  from another provider via library portal.
• Identify use at least one advanced feature in
  PsycINFO.

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Outline

• Sources for research
• PsycINFO Demo
• Getting help

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Sources for Research
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Evaluating Sources

• Authority
• What credentials are listed for the authors?
• Objectivity
• Is the information presented objective or biased?
• Accuracy
• Is the information well supported by references?
• Currency
• Is the information updated?
• Appropriateness
• Is the information what you need?

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How about

• Indexes almost anything
• Anyone is an author
• Good when youre stuck
• But
• Issue of evaluation
• Question is What are you looking for?

• Indexes journal articles regardless of impact
  factor, quality, etc.
• Good when you want a birds eye view of the
  literature out there.
• But
• No access
• Lots to go through

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Accessing E-resources (www.lib.nus.edu.sg)
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PsycINFO
Quick Reference Guide http//www.ovid.com/site/pdf
/osp/OvidSP_QRC_021108.pdf
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PsycINFO

• American Psychological Association (APA) database
  
• Provides abstracts, citations some full-text to
  psychological literature.
• Provides access to book chapters, journal
  articles, conference reports, dissertations, etc.
  
• Coverage 1887-present.

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Basic Search
Identify Keywords
To what extent should the corporal punishment of
children be considered a kind of child abuse?
Keywords Corporal punishment, child abuse
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Lets Search
Enter search terms
Check Include...Terms
Use to refine search
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Results Display
Search Terms used Narrow Your Search
Your Options View Abstracts, Full Text,
Library Holdings, etc.
Select to Export
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Full Text within PsycINFO
Click to view/download
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Full Text thru Other Providers
Checking other available sources
E-access thru other providers
Print volumes
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Exporting Records
What do you want to do with the results you have
selected?
What info do you want?
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Lets Practice
Discuss gender differences in perception of body
image.
Limits 2002-2008, English Sort By Score Target
Full Text on screen Keywords gender differences,
body image
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Lets Practice
Does exposure to media violence and pornography
produce aggression in viewers?
Limits 2000-2009, English Sort By Descending
Publication Date Target Full Text via another
provider on screen Keywords media violence,
pornography, aggression
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Find Citation
If you have the citation ready, this helps you
zoom in to the exact article you need
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Lets Practice
__, Goh, J., Hon, N. (2001). Nature __
extracted __ the __ blink. Journal of __
Psychology Human __ and Performance, 27, __.
Challenge Many parts of this reference are
missing From the author, article title, journal
title page numbers fields. Task Full Text of
this article on screen using Find Citation
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Boolean operators

• AND is used to indicate that both terms must be
  present
• OR is used to indicate that either terms may be
  present

communication disorders AND children
communication disorders OR language disorders
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Truncation , Round parentheses ( )

• Use for variant forms of term
• teen teens, teenagers, teenaged
• dyslex dyslexia, dyslexic
• Use ( ) to execute commands inside innermost
  parentheses first
• (screening or testing) and language
• language screening, language testing

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Advanced Search
Search by Keyword, Author,Title or Journal
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Advanced Search

• Advanced Search Allows you to make use of
  Boolean operators to make your search more
  specific.
• It searches 5 main fields (title, abstract,
  heading word, table of contents, key concepts) as
  opposed to all the fields in the Basic Search.
• End results are usually much fewer and more
  relevant.

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Lets Practice
Does exposure to media violence and pornography
produce aggression in viewers?
pornography
aggression/aggressor /aggressive
media/television violence
(media or television) and violence and
pornography and aggress
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Advanced Search
Keywords in abstract, title, etc.
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Search Tools
Find out more about a term
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Search Tools

• Map Term Match your keywords to the subject
  headings used in the database.
• Useful when you are not sure whether
  the term you are thinking of is the term used in
  the database (this may affect your results).
• e.g. Aggression
• Thesaurus See your search term displayed in a
  hierarchical manner.
• Useful when you are exploring research
  topics. You can see the broader, narrower and
  related terms.
• e.g. Language disorders

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Search Fields
Search in multiple fields at the same time
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Multi-Field Search
Search by combining fields
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Search Fields Multi-Field Search

• Search Fields Allows you to search very
  specifically within selected fields at the same
  time and browse indexes as well.
• e.g. Searching for Singapore in the Location,
  Population Institution fields all at once.
• Multi-Field Search Allows you to combine
  multiple searches at the same time (field by
  field).
• e.g. Searching for Singapore in the Location
  Ryan Hong in Author Depression in Subject
  Headings.

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PsycINFO Search Tips

• Basic Search
• Natural language search
• Do not enter Boolean operators, wildcards,
  truncation in
• search box
• Click on Include Related Terms
• Apply a database limit(s) optional
• Use search aid to narrow search
• Advanced Search
• Allows for more complex and exact searches
• Use Boolean operators, such as OR, AND, NOT
• Use for multi-character wildcard (truncation)
• More information can be found on the Database
  field guide on the top of the screen.

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Subject Guides
Psychology guide
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Getting Help

• Advisory Service atInformation Desk,Central
  Library,Level 5
• Email me clbky_at_nus.edu.sg
• askalib_at_nus.edu.sg
• Tel [phone]

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Thank you!