PSYCH Research Project |
Search Strategies
Focus Your Topic: not too broad - not too specific. Develop a clear research question. For example, a research question might be: What correlation is there between social media use and academic performance? OR How do memory exercises, such as "mind palaces," affect Alzheimer's patients? Divide your research topic/question into basic key concepts. Example:
These ideas can be used as keywords when searching for sources. |
Use Boolean searching techniques to narrow or broaden your search: OR - Tells the database that you want all articles that have similar words (synonyms) AND - Tells the database that you want articles that include all of your key words. NOT - excludes words from your search. |
Google Tips
Google Scholar Google Scholar searches specifically for scholarly literature - peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, etc. Some of the search results are available in full-text but many display only an abstract with links to pay-for-document services. |
Locating Sources
|
Research Databases
For EBSCO use your public library card number to login. If you don't have it, please email: botero@smuhsd.org or call: 650-558-2859
For Gale use the password: panther
|
Navigating Through Databases
The image below highlights some areas to focus on to best navigate through databases. |
Evaluating Sources
Use the following infographic to confirm that you are using the best possible sources in your research: |
Presentation Tools
|
|
|
|
|
Citing Sources
|