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Find Background Information on Your Topic
DSM-5 Library This link opens in a new window Online access to the DSM-5, DSM-5 Handbook on the Cultural Formulation Interview, DSM-5 Handbook of Differential Diagnosis, DSM-5 Clinical Cases, and Spanish Edition of the Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria From DSM-5.
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new windowThe Library's Wikipedia! Search a number of specialized encyclopedias in biography, law, business, substance abuse, multiculturalism, education and more.
Recommended Reference Books and Subject Introductions
Adolescent Psychology Research Journals
Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed Article Databases
PsycARTICLES (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowScholarly Peer-Reviewed articles in Psychology. TO LIMIT TO SCHOLARLY ARTICLES CHECK THE "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" BOX.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowThousands of full-text general, education, medical, and business articles and documents. TO LIMIT TO SCHOLARLY ARTICLES CHECK THE "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" BOX.
JSTOR This link opens in a new windowIncludes scholarly journals in history, political science, sociology, math, statistics,and other arts, humanities, and social science fields.
NOTICE: If this image,
, is displayed next to an article, that article is not available to read for free.
Health Source - Academic/Nursing Edition (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowScholarly journal articles focused on medical disciplines. TO LIMIT TO SCHOLARLY ARTICLES CHECK THE "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" BOX.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar is a discovery tool that helps you find scholarly literature related to your topic.
PROS:
- Easy to search
- Shows you the impact of an article (how many times it has been cited by other published articles).
CONS:
- Not full text (with some exceptions). Unless the article/book is free to the public, you will be asked to pay to view the full text. NEVER PAY FOR AN ARTICLE/BOOK! Ask a librarian for help in locating a full-text copy for you.
- Has a limited search scope. You can miss out on other available articles on a topic if you only use Google Scholar.
Interlibrary LoanIf you can't find the article or book you need in FCC's Library, you can request an Interlibrary Loan. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) allows us to ask other libraries to send specific books or articles found in their collections for you to use.
How to Identify Research Studies
Scholarly Psychology Journals usually have two types of articles:
- Reviews look at other peoples' research and summarize research in a specific area of study.
- Research studies report the original research being conducted by the authors of the article.
Quick Indicators of Original Research Studies
Read the abstract of an article before diving into it completely and then give the article a quick once over. You are looking for keywords such as:
- Purpose or Objective: Why the experiment is being done in the first place, the question that the researchers are attempting to address with their research.
- Participants, Population, or subjects: In psychology, research is done on people or animals – a research article should discuss who participated in a study. If it DOES NOT talk about the people used in the research, it may be an analysis or review of research. It is likely NOT a research study.
- Methods or Methodology: This explains how the research is done.
- Results or Findings: An explanation of what the researchers found within the scope of their experiment or research.
- Conclusions and/or Discussion: A description of what the researchers’ findings entail or mean, and suggestions for future research informed by such findings.
Adapted from “What is Original Research?” http://libguides.unf.edu/originalresearch
Scholary Sources VS Popular Sources
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Scholarly Sources
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Popular Sources
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- Author: Written by experts (scientists, professors, scholars) in a particular field.
- Audience: Written for other experts in a particular field.
- Language: Very technical and scholarly. Not easily understood.
- Citations: Provide complete and formal citations for sources.
- Review Process: Often reviewed by a panel of scholars in the field being studied. (Peer-Reviewed)
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- Author: Written by professional writers, journalists, or members of the general public.
- Audience: Written for the general public.
- Language: Basic and clear. Easily understood.
- Citations: Provide informal or no citations for sources.
- Review Process: Reviewed by an editor or self-published with no formal review process.
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REMEMBER: Popular DOES NOT equal bad. Check with your professors to find out which popular sources they accept.
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Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development
Abnormal Psychology Across the Ages
