Introduction to Psychology - Recently Updated Pages

Where Do I Find Information?

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:40:53 CDT

Locating Articles

The library subscribes to numerous databases that are ONLY available to Ramapo students. Databases are not the internet and are the best resources to get journal articles. You can use them 24/7 both on and off campus. Off campus use requires your Ramapo email and password.

Suggested Databases	Content
PsycInfo	Contains more than two million citations and summaries of scholarly journal articles, as well as related topics as sociology, anthropology etc.
PsycArticles	A great source to use for locating full-text peer reviewed scholarly articles published by the APA and other allied organizations. Covers general and specialized psychology, basic, applied, clinical and theoritical research
Psychology Journals	Encompasses a wide-range of topics from psychology, clinical, social psychology, social welfare, criminology and more.
Academic Search Premier	A multidisplinary database that contains many full-text articles. May also limit to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals.

Tips for Searching Databases

Use the "Thesaurus" and "Subject Terms" tab in a database to find the best search terms to use.

Refine your search by using different terms

Always switch to the Advance Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.

Always use quotes around a phrase. The system searches the phrase as one word. Example: "obsessive compulsive disorder"

Use Boolean Operators-AND, OR, NOT when running a search to help narrow and broaden a search.

AND narrows your search.Example: prozac AND treatment

OR broadens your search. Example: bulimia OR "eating disorders"

NOT eliminates search results. Example: "Anorexia Nervosa" NOT bulimia

Always check your Spelling if the database results are Zero.

"Check Availabilty" link to see if articles are full-text

Use Journal Finder: to find journal, magazine and newspaper full-texts articles online, in print or available on microfilm.

Get a book or an article through Interlibrary Loan if the Potter library does not own it.

Check out Ulrich's International Periodical Directory to see if a journal is Scholarly/Peer Reviewed/Refereed. Articles in these journals have been reviewed by a selected panel of experts in the discipline covered by that journal.

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Locating Web Sources

Use the following Psychology links found under Subject Resource to locate supplemental information on psychology..

Current Topics in Psychology:- Assembled by a practicing psychologist, this collection of articles, weblinks and research tools is organized by topics: Addiction, Attention Deficient, Bipolar Disorder, Clinical/Abnormal Psychology, Emotional Intellegience, Famil Relations etc.
Mental Health Net - Quick information on disorders, treatment, treatment facilities and more.

Professor Janet Sotomayor

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:36:18 CDT

Professor Janet Sotomayor

PSYC 101-20

September 14, 2009

Search Strategies

Keywords
Reference Materials

Finding Articles

Databases

Evaluating Sources

Articles

Plagiarism & Academic Integrity

Avoiding Plagiarism

Citing Sources

APA Style
In-Text
Works Cited

Need More Help! Contact:

How to Evaluate What I Found

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:58:59 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Evaluating Sources

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:51:55 CST

Use Evaluating Websites to determine if the site is authoritative enough to use in your paper

See Also, Evaluating the Internet tutorial for more information.

Choosing a Topic

sknight@ramapo.edu — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:52:47 CST

No ideas of What to write about!!

Suggestions to get you started:

Pick a behavior that interests you

Start by browsing through your class readings and notes to get ideas

Read through journals or browse the library's reference and circulating collection

If your professor provided a list of topics, choose a topic from that list
Keep a Handle on Your Research by using the Research Strategies Worksheet to track your research. Refer back to it when compiling your work cited list or as a review of what you have done and need to do. Try it now!

Record your thoughts.

Write out what you are looking for. For example, Is obesity more prevelant in boys than girls in american public schools? Your key words are obesity, american, public schools, boys and girls

Write down everything you know and want to know about your topic
You want to start with a broad topic and began to narrow your topic as you focus on the specific area you want to research. The best way to start narrowing a topic is to consult with reference materials to get an overview of your topic, names of important authors, and references to other useful sources. Refining your topic is an ongoing process. You may need to refine your topic several times.
Limit your resources to a time frame (if any)
Consider how much information you need
Above all, start early to have enough time to complete your project!

The Suggested Reference Sources are located on reference stacks on the 3rd floor of the library, which is also the entrance to the library.

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias & Handbooks	Call Numbers
Dictionary of Psychology	Ref BF 31 .C65 2006
APA Dictionary of Psychology	Ref BF 698.4 .H28 2007
Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science	Ref BF 31 .E52 2001
Encyclopedia of Human Development	Ref HM 626 .E53 2006
Handbook of Personality Psychology	Ref BF 698 .H3345 1997
Handbook of Personality Disorders	Ref RC 554 .H23 2001
Blackwell handbook of Social Psychology	Ref HM 251 .B48 2001
Obesity in Childhood & Adolescence	Ref RJ 399 .C6 O3352 2008
DVD's/Films:
Against My Will	Ref HV 6250.4 .A334 2002
Psychology, the Human Experience: Observational & Cognitive Approaches	Ref BF 121 .P974 2001

How Do I Develop an Annotated Bibliography?

sknight@ramapo.edu — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:43:14 CST

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources in which each citation is followed by a brief paragraph that summaries, describes, and critically evalutates the source.

Your assignment is to develop an annotated bibliography categorized by a topic of your choicing using the APA citation style.

See How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography (Cornell University), Annotated Bibliographies (University of North Carolina), Writing an Annotation (CollegateUniversity Libraries) on criteria you should include in an annotated and examples in the APA citation style.

Citing Sources

sknight@ramapo.edu — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:16:29 CST

There are Consequences!

Academic Intergrity to give credit where credit is due.
Use Citing Sources for examples of "In-Text Citations" and "Works Cited"
Use Citing Websites and Print Sources to locate call numbers for APA style paper copies
Check out the Citing Sources tutorial for more information