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Psychology

Updated guide

Search Tips

Getting Started:

When searching in any search engine, (databases, library catalog, google scholar, etc.) it is best to use keywords rather than typing the full question or topic.

For example, if your question is:

"What is the relationship between sleep quality and academic performance in college students?"

Remover the filler words from the question and focus on the main concepts. Next, brainstorm synonyms of the key words. You may type words such as these in the search bar:

sleep, academics, performance, college students, cognitive function, academic success, performance

Advanced Search Tips:

Using Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT)

Boolean operators are used to either refine or expand your search. They are placed in between your keywords to yield more specific search results.

Too Few Results
Use: AND
For example: sleep AND cognitive function
Either/OR Results
Use: OR
For example: sleep OR cognitive function
Too Many Results
Use: NOT
For example: academic success NOT primary school

Visual Brainstorming:

If you prefer to draw when brainstorming, you may want to draw a concept map. You can do this on paper, a white board, or a smart board. For online resources focused on concept mapping, we recommend Canva. 

Search Example

 

Below shows how you might begin entering keywords in the library catalog search bar. It's always best to start off simple, with just a few keywords.