The database PsycArticles from the APA is a great place to start any literature search in psychology. PsycArticles:
Use PsycArticles when you need a few articles on particular topics or using particular methodologies (use the Methodologies option in the Advanced Search.) Use PsycInfo when you need comprehensive coverage of a topic, or if very specific topics aren't covered in PsycArticles.
This video is a quick walk-through of finding articles about experimental studies in peer-reviewed psychology journals.
Try SoutherSearch for books, articles, videos, and more about a topic. Use the options on the left of the results page to limit by year, to peer-reviewed journals or books currently available at SCSU. You can also limit to all of our eResources (full text online) or to books across the whole CSCU system (options in the search box.)
All of our ebooks are available through SouthernSearch, like Psychology: A Very Short Introduction (2nd ed) - a great review of the history, theory, and practice of psychology. There are dozens of these books, from Freud to Imagination, all great for getting a start on a topic.
Psychology: A Very Short Introduction, 2nd ed. (online)
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Psychology is part of everyone's experience: it influences the way we think about everything from education and intelligence, to relationships and emotions, advertising and criminality. People readily behave as amateur psychologists, offering explanations for what people think, feel, and do. But what exactly are psychologists trying to do? What scientific grounding do they have for their approach? This Very Short Introduction explores some of psychology's leading ideas and their practical relevance. In this new edition, Gillian Butler and Freda McManus explore a variety of new topics and ways of studying the brain. Until recently it was not possible to study the living human brain directly, so psychologists studied our behavior, and used their observations to derive hypotheses about what was going on inside. Now - through neuroscience - our knowledge of the workings of the brain has increased and improved technology provides us with a scientific basis on which to understand the structure and workings of the brain, allowing brain activity to be observed and measured. Exploring some of the most important advances and developments in psychology - from evolutionary psychology and issues surrounding adolescence and aggression to cognitive psychology - this is a stimulating introduction for anyone interested in understanding the human mind. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
Scientific research literature is made up of primary and secondary literature, together known as scholarly literature--research reports and analysis--and tertiary literature--news, opinion, and summaries. In most cases, you should use the "most primary" source available for academic work.
Tertiary literature is a general term for non-original or non-scholarly work. Science stories in newspapers are tertiary. Textbooks are also generally considered tertiary, because they report summaries of research and analysis, not original work. Most Dictionaries and Encyclopedias are tertiary and should be used for background information, identification of key vocabulary terms for searching, and quick information. See the Background Information page (left) for resources.
Scholarly literature (primary and secondary) is mostly made up of Journal Articles, primarily searched through online databases or SouthernSearch, or Scholarly Books, searched in SouthernSearch. See the Journal Articles page and/or the Books page for resources.
Websites can be any level of literature but are most often secondary or tertiary.
Most Psychology classes use the APA (American Psychological Association) style for paper and citation formatting. The Library provides the Academic Writer platform, which includes the APA Manual, tutorials, templates, and citation formatting, as well as additional guides.
Effective Writing in Psychology (print)
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Master the art of APA-style writing with this newly updated and accessible resource The newly and thoroughly revised Third Edition of Effective Writing in Psychology: Papers, Posters, and Presentations offers compelling and comprehensive guidance to readers who want to create powerful and persuasive prose in a rigorous, scientific, and APA-compliant framework. Distinguished academics and authors Bernard and Agatha Beins walk readers through the foundational and advanced topics they must grasp to generate convincing and credible APA-stye writing. The book combines an accessible and approachable guide to effective writing with the most current best practices from the 7th edition of the American Psychological Association's publication manual. New writers and experienced authors alike will benefit from Effective Writing in Psychology's descriptions of the most frequently used and important aspects of APA-style writing. The authors minimize their use of technical jargon and include explanations of how to create effective posters, deliver high-quality oral presentations, and publish electronically. The book also includes: An up-to-date presentation of ethical, inclusive writing and proper use of modern pronouns Step-by-step guidance on the use of APA formatting in scholarly papers Explanations of how to create effective posters for poster sessions Descriptions of how to organize convincing and credible oral presentations that leave listeners and conference attendees impressed and edified The basics of creating and formatting electronic documents for publication on the web Effective Writing in Psychology: Papers, Posters, and Presentations is an invaluable resource for psychology and social, and behavioral science students at any level. It also belongs on the bookshelves of practicing psychology professionals, researchers, and academics who would like to brush up on their technical writing abilities.
What's the newest research in Psychology and other topics? See the newest research from ScienceDaily.com, a newsletter style website with summaries of research based on press releases and journal articles. If you don't find a link to the full text of an article, try looking up the title of the original journal article in SouthernSearch or Google Scholar on the Library homepage.
Psychology:
Mental Health
