Research in psychology is made easier by following a
methodological research process. This web guide will provide guidance on successfully
searching OVID PsycINFO to find journal
articles in Yale University Library's Psychology Collection.
Begin by describing your research topic in a short, concise sentence. _____________________________________________________________
Step 1. Before searching a periodical database for journal articles,
think about the terms you will use to search for journal
articles on your topic. Use your topic sentence as a source of pertinent keywords.
List your key words and related words (e.g. synonyms
or words that have a similar meaning.):
Keywords:
________________ _______________ _______________
Related words:
________________ _______________ _______________
Use dictionaries, thesauri, or encyclopedias to verify correct keyword use,
to find related terms, or to find background information on your subject area.
For examples of Psychology dictionaries, thesauri, or encyclopedias, use the
Psychology -
Selected Print Resources Guide.
Step 2. Use an electronic database to find journal citations on your topic.
Choose the appropriate database. Read the blurbs available on each database
to help you choose the best database for your subject search. For Psychology,
appropriate databases may be PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Eric, MedLine, Academic Search Elite,
Current Contents, Dissertation Abstracts, GPO on Silver Platter, Health and
Psychosocial Instruments (HaPI), Social Science Full Text, or many others.
See the Psychology Subject Guide Online Database Webpage
for a full listing of available psychology databases.
Searching Ovid PsycINFO
Step 3. Access PsycINFO using the Yale University Library Web Page (http://www.library.yale.edu)
or the Social Sciences Library Webpage
(http://www.library.yale.edu/socsci).
On the Yale University Library webpage, click on “Databases & Article Searching.”
Click again one the PsycINFO link.
Next click on “P” for PsycINFO and then at the PsycINFO Information Page,
click on “Connect to PsycINFO.” Notice that links to online reference guides
and journal coverage information can be found on the PsycINFO Page.
OR
On the Social Sciences Library Web Page, click on Social Sciences Databases.
Next, click on the PsycINFO link, proceed using the “Connect to PsycINFO” to connect
to the database.
After connecting to the database from either website, click on “Start Ovid”.
No password is required. You will connect to the PsycINFO Advanced Search Screen.
Basic Searching In Ovid PsycINFO
PsycINFO may be searched through the basic or
advanced search screens. The basic search screen is used to do quick,
simple searches by author, or simple keyword with or without logical connectors.
If you are interested in doing a Basic Search, click on the “Basic” icon located at the top of your screen.
The Basic Search is useful for quick access to a specific reference or known item.
Do you know the author of a particular work? Do you know the title of a certain work?
Use this screen to access these specific citations.
Example:
I am interested in finding the article,
“The role of parents and peers in early adolescent substance use:
An examination of mediating and moderating effects.”
The article is written by Eva M. Kung, and
Albert D. Farrell.
In the “Author” dialog box, enter the author’s name: “Kung, E.” Click on “Perform
Search.” PsycINFO is not case-sensitive. You will then find a number of articles
written by Ms. Kung. Click on the appropriate article.
In the “Keyword” dialog box, enter the
search strategy “role and parents and peers and early and adolescent and substance
and use” to retrieve the reference by its title. You may combine these strategies
to find your reference as well. Limiting your search to full text, human
subjects, latest update, English language, etc is also available in this search option.
(See Using Boolean Operators for More Detail)
Advanced Searching in PsycINFO-Using Boolean Operators and Understanding Truncation
To search in Advanced Mode, click on “Advanced” at the upper
left hand side of the Basic search screen.
Step 4.Important!!! Improve your searches by using: AND OR (....) or
truncation. Boolean Operators can be used in PsycINFO or most electronic databases.
AND is used to connect different words
by finding both words in the same record.
e.g. child and development
OR is used to connect related words
by finding either word in a record
e.g. speech or language or babble
(Parentheses) are used around words connected
with OR, when combining AND & OR in the same search strategy.
e.g. (infant or child or baby) and development
Truncation or Wild Card Searches are used to search
for the stem of a word, or for irregular plural terms in a record.
Use a $, #, or ? at the end of a word stem to find all variations
of a particular word in your record. Use the wild card character
or pound sign to represent any given character.
Check each individual database for commands used.
e.g. child$ - finds the keywords
child, child's, children, etc, “..to retrieve
unlimited suffix variations.”
e.g. wom#n -
finds the keywords woman or women,
“..use to replace exactly one character.”
e.g. drug? - finds the keywords drug or drugs, use to replace one or two characters.
Step 5. Now that you are in Advanced Search Mode/Keyword Search and
determined which keywords you are interested in searching, begin performing
keyword searches by entering each keyword from your Basic Search Strategy and
its related terms individually into the dialog box using the Boolean operator
“OR”. Use the PsycINFO Thesaurus or click inside the box next to “Map Term
to Subject Heading,” to find the terms that PsycINFO uses to describe articles
in the database. If you have chosen keyword terms not used in the PsycINFO
database, a list of terms or information map will show you what terms may be
used. Do not forget to use truncation.
Example: I am interested in studying the effects
of peer and parental relationships on susceptibility to
substance abuse.
My Keywords and Basic Search Strategy:
Peer$ AND Relation$
AND Parent$
AND Substance AND
Abuse
My Related Terms:
Peer-Friends, Peer group, Friends, Gang, Social support network
Relationships-Peer relations, Friendship
Parents-Parent child relations, Parent child communication
Substance Abuse-Drugs, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction,
Drug Use, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Dependency, etc.
My Related Terms Including Keywords from Basic Search Strategy
Peer# or Friend$ or Gang# or Social support network (See PsycINFO Thesaurus to find more terms)
Relations$ or Peer relations or Friendship
Parent# or Parent child relations or Parent child communication
Substance abuse or drug# or Alcohol abuse or Drug
abuse or Drug addiction or Drug Use or Alcohol Abuse or Drug Dependency, etc.
*****Once entering your keywords and related terms, you will notice search
results for those groups of terms you chose. This search process in Ovid is
similar to using parentheses in combining Boolean Operators AND & OR in
your search strategy.
#
Search History
Results
Display
1
(Peer# or Friend$ or Gang# or Social support
network).mp. [mp=title, abstract, heading word, table of
contents, key concepts]
36915
2
(Relations$ or Peer relations or Friendship).mp.
[mp=title, abstract, heading word, table of contents, key
concepts]
342431
3
(Parent# or Parent child relations or Parent child
communication).mp. [mp=title, abstract, heading word,
table of contents, key concepts]
75261
4
(Substance abuse or drug# or Alcohol abuse).mp.
[mp=title, abstract, heading word, table of contents, key
concepts]
94139
Enter Keyword or phrase:
Map Term to Subject Heading
Limit to:
Ovid Full Text Available
Human
English Language
Abstracts
PsycARTICLES Journals
Latest Update
Publication Year
-
Combine Searches
Combine selections with:
Select
#
Search History
Results
1
(Peer# or Friend$ or Gang# or Social support network).mp.
[mp=title, abstract, heading word, table of contents, key
concepts]
36915
2
(Relations$ or Peer relations or Friendship).mp.
[mp=title, abstract, heading word, table of contents, key concepts]
342431
3
(Parent# or Parent child relations or Parent child communication).mp.
[mp=title, abstract, heading word, table of contents, key concepts]
75261
4
(Substance abuse or drug# or Alcohol abuse).mp. [mp=title,
abstract, heading word, table of contents, key concepts]
Choose “AND,” from the Combine menu, and then select the groups of terms
you would like to search. Click on “Continue” to perform a search.
At your new search screen, click on the “Display” button attached to
the search combining your keyword groups together. A new page will display
containing a list of your found citations or references.
Example Citations from Ovid PsycINFO:
· Armogida, Rima Elizabeth. Quality and style of attachment, emotional self-regulation,
and engagement in sexual high-risk behaviors and alcohol and substance abuse
in late adolescence. [Dissertation Abstract] Dissertation Abstracts International:
Section B: the Sciences & Engineering. Vol 61(9-B), Apr 2001, 5023, US: Univ Microfilms International.
· Epstein, Jennifer A; Botvin, Gilbert J; Diaz, Tracy. Alcohol use among Hispanic adolescents:
Role of linguistic acculturation and gender. [Journal Article] Journal of
Alcohol & Drug Education. Vol 45(3) Spr 2000, 18-32. American Alcohol & Drug Information, US.
· Miller, Patrick. Family structure, personality, drinking, smoking and illicit drug
use: A study of UK teenagers. [Journal Article] Drug & Alcohol Dependence.
Vol 45(1-2) Apr 1997, 121-129. Elsevier Scientific Publishers, US Med; check
ORBIS.
Looking at a PsycINFO Record
Step 7. For any PsycINFO citation, you might find four different
links:
Abstract, Complete Reference, Ovid Full Text, and Yale SFX Links.
An abstract record contains the title, source, and abstract (summary of the article) for your chosen journal article.
A complete citation summarizes information known about that particular journal article.
Click on the appropriate information for you.
Ovid Full Text provides the full text of the specified article.
Yale SFX Links provide context sensitive searching for full text availability of the specified article.
Finding A Journal Article
Step 8. After finding journal articles that best fit your paper topic,
you must determine where to find the journals that contain your articles.
If you do not see the journal article is directly available in full text,
click on Yale SFX Links for full text availability. SFX may lead you to ORBIS
and the online journal database for journal availability.
ORBIS is Yale University Library’s online catalog containing citations of
materials owned by the Library. If you have not used ORBIS before, visit
the ORBIS tutorial available at
http://www.library.yale.edu/pubstation/opachelp/.
Example-Using the Library Holdings Link:
I want to find this journal article. My citation is:
Miller, Patrick. Family structure, personality,
drinking, smoking and illicit drug use: A study of UK teenagers.[Journal Article] Drug & Alcohol Dependence. Vol 45(1-2)
Apr 1997, 121-129. Elsevier Scientific Publishers, US Med; check ORBIS
By clicking on Yale SFX Links, I find that SFX shows that Elsevier ScienceDirect has the article.
Clicking on the link takes you to the article. Click on the online version link and find the volume and
issue as shown in your citation.
Example-Using the Online Journal Database
If the journal article is not available via SFX, again searching for the citation below, click
on "Online Journals".
Miller, Patrick. Family structure, personality,
drinking, smoking and illicit drug use: A study of UK teenagers.[Journal Article] Drug & Alcohol Dependence. Vol 45(1-2)
Apr 1997, 121-129. Elsevier Scientific Publishers, US Med; check ORBIS
In the dialog box, type in the title of the Journal you are looking for: Drug & Alcohol Dependence.
Click on “Any,” to find all journals containing any terms in your title. If your
journal title contains abbreviations or punctuation, remove the punctuation
and substitute the completely written out word for the abbreviation. A list
of journals fitting your search request will appear. Look for your journal.
The results appear in alphabetical order. Click on the title link to find
your online journal.
Example-Using ORBIS, the Online Catalog
If I did not find that this particular journal
article is online via the SFX Services Record link or the Online Journals Database,
check ORBIS to determine if Yale University Libraries owns the journal
and to locate a print version of the journal. Orbis can be found at the Yale University Libraries Website at
http://www.library.yale.edu,
click on “Orbis (Yale Library Catalog)” on the SFX record. The record link will take
you directly to the bibliographic record in Orbis.
A list of journals fitting your search request will appear. Look for your journal.
In an ORBIS journal citation, the word “serial” will be located next to the title.
Read the entire record and the library holdings to determine if the library owns
the print version of the journal. Current journals may be located in any
library at Yale. Older editions are bound and in library stacks.
Is Your Article Not Owned by Yale University Libraries?
Step 9. Use Interlibrary Loan and request a photocopy to be sent to you.
Read all about interlibrary loan at http://www.library.yale.edu/ill/
Some Other Tools to Help You With Your PsycINFO Search
Author Search-Search for documents
by a specific author by clicking on the Author icon.
Enter the author’s last name followed by first initial.
Title Search-Click the
Title icon to search for documents that contain your desired words or phrase
in the title field.
Journal Search-Search for documents
in a specific journal by clicking on the Journal icon. Enter the
first few letters of a full journal name, do not use abbreviations. Then
recombine your search terms using “AND” and select that journal article.
Search Fields-Search for
a word or phrase contained in one or more specific document fields by clicking
on the Search Fields icon. Choose the fields you want to search.
Title and Citation Display-The
Title Display appears below the general limits on the Main Search page.
To view results, scroll down the Main Search page or click the corresponding
search set Display button found in the Citation Display.
Additional fields may be displayed by selecting the Complete Reference button and where
available the Abstract and Full Text buttons or by selecting Customize Display
located immediately above the Title Display. Select Records by clicking
on the box in front of the record from the Title Display or by clicking
on the box at the top of the page from the Citation Display.
Print, Email and Save from the Citation
Manager-The Citation Manager is located at the end of every
Title Display Page. Make selections from options provided then print, email,
or save.
To Print with the hypertext links included, select Display
from the Action column and then select Print from the browser software.
To Print without the hypertext links, select Print Preview from the Action column
and then select Print from the browser software.
To Email documents, select Email from the
Action column. Input a valid Internet email address at the option Email Citations
to: You may enter more that one email address. You will be prompted
for other options when available.
To Save documents, select Save from the Action
column.
This will invoke your browser’s save utility. Make selections based on options presented.
To save documents to a floppy disk, make sure you select the appropriate drive.
Tools-Search for documents
in the specific indexing structures of the current database such as the Thesaurus,
Permuted Index and others by clicking on the Tools icon. Note: Tools are not available in every database.
PsycINFO Thesaurus is particularly useful in finding correct search terms
or related search terms.
Limit Set-Click on the Limit
icon to restrict the results of a search to a specific limit(s) such as
language, publication type, or latest update. Select one of the search
sets and then select one or more specific limits form the list of available
limits. One or more common limits located under the Enter Keyword or phrase
line can be selected before you create a search set.
Logoff-Click on the LOGOFF
icon to exit from the Ovid Software. This ends the connection to the Ovid server.
Logoff can also be selected from the document display screen.
?Help-For more detailed explanations of all
topics, click on Ovid’s online Help, which can be found at the top
right corner of the Main Search screen.
Saving, Executing, and Deleting a Search
History-To Save, click on the Save Search History button located under the Search History table after at
least one search statement is created. To execute a saved search, click on the Run Saved
Search button located under the Search History table. Then, from the
displayed list of current saved search histories, select Run, Display or Delete.
To Delete a search statement or the entire
search history, click the Delete Searches button located below the
Search History table.
Proximity Operators, Combining Terms in exact order
For a more precise search, use proximity operators. For example, when
searching a phrase as:
Peer relations-adjacency is assumed
(information adjX retrieval)-retrieves phrases in which “information” and “retrieval”
are within X words of each other in either direction.
Example: “child adj1 development”
Helpful Hints
What Do I Do If I Am Not Able to Find Information on My Topic?
Use broader terms or add more related terms to your search. Consult a subject specific dictionary, thesaurus,
encyclopedia, or handbook for other term ideas.
Combine fewer terms in your search.
If you find one article that is relevant, search for similar articles by clicking on the subject headings
indicated in the “Complete Reference” record.
If you find one article that is relevant, search
for similar articles by clicking on the author headings indicated in the
“Complete Reference” record to find articles written by the authors of your
relevant article.
