Question 12

Correct answer is b) you can make your search more precise

Refining Your Search

If you search by keyword in a large database such as PsycINFO, you may get too many results to manage. Rather than trying to browse so many items, you could refine your search by using one of these field limiters.

These fields are available for searching on pull-down menus on the PsycINFO search page. They are designed for precise retrieval of publications in psychology.

Age Group (e.g. infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood)

Author

Author Affiliation (name of university, research center, etc.)

Conference Name (if you’re looking for conference papers)

Content Type (e.g. article, chapter, editorial, review)

Descriptor (subject term defined by APA)

Geographic Coverage Phrase

Identifier (additional subject terms and phrases)

Journal Source (name of journal)

Language Phrase (e.g. french)

Methodology (e.g. empirical, qualitative, trial)

Population Group (e.g. animal, human, male, female)

Publication Date

Publisher

Series Title (e.g. cambridge studies)

Title

You can also limit your search to full-text articles. Be aware that this will retrieve less than 10% of the articles in PsycINFO.

You can limit your search to journals held by my library. This will find print journals in the Carnegie Mellon Libraries collections.

You can limit by document type. This is most useful for locating journal articles and avoiding dissertations, which are not readily available.