1) Start at the GSU webpage www.govst.edu

Click on CURRENT STUDENT

Click on LIBRARY 

This provides links for many of the services you can use through the library, 

including: renewing books, writing center, library ID, subject resources.

Review the information available on this page.

2) Click on RESEARCH GUIDES and identify the PSYCHOLOGY Subject Librarian.

Name ____________________________

Phone ____________________________

E-mail ___________________________

3) Identify the 3 primary databases that are used within Psychology. Put a * next to the primary database.

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

YOU WILL DO QUESTIONS 4-17 TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WILL USE THE SEARCH TERM PSYCHOLOGY. THE SECOND TIME WILL UTILIZE YOUR TOPIC. FOR YOUR TOPIC SEARCH,FIND A RESEARCH ARTICLE THAT WILL BE USED IN YOUR PAPER.

4)You can get to the Databases through the PSYCHOLOGY – RESEARCH GUIDE, through the DATABASES A-Z

   Or through the link in weblinks on the class page.

   Click on PsychINFO

   If you are using an off-campus computer, this is where you would need to enter your ID number & password.

Your Library ID is the same as ______________________________

Your password is the same as  ______________________________

5) Type in the word PSYCHOLOGY and click SEARCH

You should see that there are THOUSANDS of articles related to Psychology 

How many articles were identified through the default search? _____________

6) Change SELECT A FIELD to TITLE and repeat your search

You should see that the number of articles with Psychology actually in the title is much

less than when the default search is used.  However, there are still Thousands.

How many articles were identified through the title search? _____________

7) Along the side there are terms to narrow your search. Limit the years to the last 10 years by sliding the bar or typing

2012. The click UPDATE

How many articles are now identified? _____________________

8) Now click on the term PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS. (If the year reverts back, change this again to 2010)

How many articles still appear? _____________________

– When you do searches for classes, you do not want to use Dissertation Abstract.  

These are often time consuming to get your hands on.

9) Read through some of the titles until you find one that is of interest.  

Click on the Title.

This opens up the Abstract page.  

You can print this page (or Click on File and Save As to save it to another location, print this page later)

10) While on the Abstract page, Click on CITE. This provides you with the reference in various formats. 

Highlight the reference in APA format. 

Copy it and paste it into word processing document. (save this page).

11) Next to the word Citation, it will identify how many articles were cited within the study.  If you click

on the link – Citation References ( ) , it will take you to the reference page.  This is helpful when

you are looking to find articles on the same topic.  You know that the articles have some relation

to the one you are currently reading.

12) Click on Original Results link to go back to your search list.

13) As you look down your articles, look for an article that has a PDF version.  These actually appear as

they do in the journal and are your best sources.  Click on the link for PDF and save the article

14) Many times instructors will want you to use APA journals. In order to do this, 

– Clear your search fields

– Type in American psychological association

– Set the Field to PB – Publisher 

– Now Search

This provides you with all of the articles that were published by APA.  

15) Now if you want to see which of the APA sources use the term Psychology in the title, you would do a combined search.    

Start by clicking CLEAR

Click on box by S2 – where Psychology was used as a Title

Click on box by S4 – where American Psychological Association was used as Publisher

then Click on SEARCH WITH AND

You have now merged the 2 searches.

16) If you click on Select a Field, you will see that there are a number of different items you can use to search for articles.  Some of the more common items including: TI-Title, AU-Author, KW-Keyword, SO-Publication Name, PB- Publisher, PY-Year of Publication

Below you will have 2 articles that you will need to locate (1 for the Class Article Critique and 1 for the Group Article Critique). Use these fields to help you more quickly find the article that you are looking for.