Psychology: Find Articles

Once you have a citation or bibliographic information for an article:

1. Try the Journals Search

   Type in the title of the journal or magazine that your article appeared in. If it shows up on the result list, follow the link to the article database that contains it or find the copy in the library.

2. If we don't have direct access to the journal or magazine, you can request articles through our Information Delivery Services. Most articles are delivered over the web at no charge; paper copies are 10 cents a page.

    

3. You can also try Google Scholar Advanced Search to see if there is a copy of the article available on the Web.

To see what psychology-related journals Marshall has, use the Journals Search.

For a comprehensive list of psychology and social science journals go to PSYCLINE, "Your Guide to Psychology and Social Science Journals on the Web." Maintained by a German psychologist, this links to journal home pages and journal information on the web. You may use it to find out about existing journals in the field, contact publishers, browse tables of contents and abstracts, and locate online articles.

These resources include abstracts and, often, the full text of the article. When you do your searches, try various techniques to improve the accuracy of your results; whatever database you are in, look for a "Help" or "Search Tips" link to get more advice. Many databases include an "Advanced Searching" option: use it to quickly and easily improve the accuracy of your searches and get fewer but higher quality search results.

Use critical thinking skills when deciding whether an article is appropriate to use. Consider:

• Purpose:  Does the article want to inform, entertain, sell, persuade, or educate you?
• Objectivity:  Are various sides or points-of-view represented? If not, is the bias presented clearly?
• Authority:  Does the author have expertise on the topic? Is the source well regarded?
• Currency:  Is the information current or timely for your topic?
• Bibliography:  Are the sources of information cited completely and accurate?

Periodicals, journals, and magazines fall into categories determined by their overall purpose:

• Scholarly:  Written for, and by, researchers, educators, or students. Articles are reports of original research or other scholarly discussions. "Peer reviewed" is another term often used for a specific type of scholarly article.
• Popular:  Written for the general public. Authors and editors usually are not experts in the subject field; their purpose is to provide current, societal/cultural news and discussion.
• Trade:  Written for individuals in a specific career/job or with a specific interest/hobby. Authors are generally persons working in the field/hobby or journalists with specialized knowledge. Articles discuss current issues but are not reports of research.