Psychology Research Guide
Locating Journal Articles
Searching for Journal Titles in Psychology
Search here for a specific journal title or to see a list of psychology journals (print and electronic) held by the library. You may also browse journals by subject (choose Social Sciences).
Core Psychology Databases
APA PsycNET (PsycARTICLES and PsycINFO)
The American Psychological Association's online index and abstracts to books, dissertations,
journals, and papers in psychology, including educational psychology, and full text
of nearly seventy core journals. PsycNET has controlled vocabulary search capabilities and also allows limits based on demographics, methodology, and
other criteria. Coverage: 1887 to present.
Diagnostic and descriptive conventions in psychology make the use of controlled vocabulary critical to successful searching. The APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms is part of PsycNET; the thesaurus is also available in print form at the reference desk. Use the thesaurus to find the appropriate terms for your search. For example,
| PTSD | Use | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder |
| Aggressive Behavior | Use for | Fighting |
| Broader term | Social Behavior | |
| Narrower term | Aggressive Driving | |
| Related term |
Bullying |
General and Multidisciplinary Databases
ProQuest: Psychology Journals | Academic Search Elite | ECO
Search for the full text of articles, including strong coverage of journals in psychology,
psychiatry, and psychotherapy.
Additional Databases of Interest
ERIC - Education Resource Information Center
Online index containing citations and links to full-text documents, journal articles,
and reports from the U.S. Department of Education. ERIC includes coverage of educational psychology. ERIC can be searched with keywords or by using ERIC descriptors, a controlled vocabulary. Use the Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors (online or the print version located at the reference desk) to find appropriate terms
to use in formulating your search. Coverage: 1966 to present.
Medical Resources
Indexes to medical, nursing, and pharmacological literature including some coverage
of psychology. Coverage varies.
Health Reference Center Academic
Nursing and allied health journals, and personal health information sources.
Health Source Nursing Academic Edition
Index and abstracts to medical, pharmacological, and nursing literature.
MEDLINE (EBSCOhost) and PUBMED
Indexes to medical literature from the National Library of Medicine with links to
full text where available.
Locating Books
The majority of psychology books are shelved in the 150-159 call number range on the third floor. Additional material, particularly relating
to pharmacology and therapeutics, may be found in the 615-616 range on the first floor.
Library Catalog
Find books, journal titles, and media in the Wells College Library.
WorldCat
Search for books, journal titles, dissertations, and media in other libraries, and
request them via Interlibrary Loan.
Web Resources
Intute: Psychology
Annotated links to online resources, research institutes, and statistical and methodological
sites.
Psychology WWW Virtual Library
Links to organizations, publications, and resources available on the web.
Classics in the History of Psychology
Full text of seminal and classic texts in psychology, searchable by author and topic.
Librarians' Internet Index: Psychology
Links to current topical sites as well as research institutes, exhibits, and digital
collections in psychology.
Reference Works
Encyclopedias provide summary information about persons, events, discoveries, and
theories, and may be a good place to start your research. They are located in the
stacks near the main desk. Selected titles include:
Blackwell Dictionary of Neuropsychology R 616.8 qB63b
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) R 616.89 qA49 2000
Encyclopedia of Psychology (2000) R 150.3 qE56k
Dictionary of Psychology (1999) R 150.3 qC82d
Psychology Matters: Psychology Topics
The American Psychological Association's list of psychology topics.
Credo Reference
Online reference sources including The Concise Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science, and The Elgar Companion to Consumer Research and Economic Psychology.
Research Methodology & Statistics
Social Psychology Network
Links to methodological and statistical tools, ethical guidelines, and information
on research with human subjects.
SISA: Simple Interactive Statistical Analysis Site
Interactive site performs common calculations with your data.
Statistics Glossary
Definitions of statistical terms, tests, and measurements.
Experiment, Design and Statistics in Psychology (3rd ed.)
Guide to the design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of experiments in psychology.
Citing Your Sources
Check with your instructor to determine if they have a preferred citation style. In the field of psychology, American Psychological Association (APA) style is generally preferred. Print copies of style guides are available at the reference desk.