A refresher session on literature searching for trainees at Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology

1. Literature searching
refresher
18th September 2020 // claire.choong@canterbury.ac.uk
Photo by Pascal Müller on Unsplash

2. Session plan
structuring a strategy
for an efficient and
systematic literature
search
identifying and
accessing suitable
databases through
LibrarySearch
using bibliographical
databases effectively
to find relevant
articles

3. Library Search
• Searches multiple online resources at the same
time – this is not always the most appropriate
option
• Good for quick needs or scoping a search, but not
for systematic searching
• Prioritises items available in full text, but your key
papers may not be available like this
• Acts as the gateway to individual databases

4. Library Search

5. Which databases?
PsycINFO – for clinical psychology/psychiatry
ASSIA - Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts
Medline – for clinical medicine
Cochrane – to check if a subject review already exists
Web of Science – for theoretical underpinnings in social science fields
BEI - for educational psychology
Full text access often included
Access via Library Search

6. • Can be a good starting and/or finishing point
• Use Advanced Search option and date limits for
precision
• Follow links to related and cited articles
• Academic content, but you are often asked to
pay.
• NB: You can link to CCCU subscriptions via
LibrarySearch (Settings/Library Links)
Google Scholar

7. Tips for searching
Split and combine
Split your search into
individual concepts, search
for those concept terms
and then combine the
searches
Mind your language
Make use of features
offered by the database/s,
e.g. their thesaurus guides
to terms and keywords
Advance!
Use “advanced search”
options where available
(different search boxes,
limits etc.)

8. More tips!
• Narrow a search with AND: play AND autism
• Widen search with OR (for synonyms): autism OR
asperger
• Include word variations with truncation: asperger*
• Precision phrase searching with () and ““:
(autism OR asperger*) AND “behavio* management”
• Look at results for other keywords to use
• Check the references at the end of useful articles to
follow up
• Follow ‘cited by’ links

9. Saving items
Saving search strategies
• Most databases offer this option
• You need to register with the database for this
• Look for help under ‘Save searches’ or ‘Search histories’ options
• Or create a spreadsheet
Saving references/search results
• Various tools around, e.g. EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley
• RefWorks – web-based option (no need for download), free for
CCCU

10. Institutional repositories
Research Space Repository [external view at
http://repository.canterbury.ac.uk]
• online archive of CCCU research outputs
British Library EThOS Service - provides
access to a growing set of electronic and
digitised theses. You will need to register
with the service.

11. Alerts
• Search strategy alerts possible via PsycINFO, Web of
Science & others
(guides to setting these up are posted on
Blackboard in the Literature Searching section)
• New journal issue alerts via Zetoc (or through the
appropriate full text provider or publisher)

12. Help!
• Blackboard
• Databases help / database guides
• Email Claire or
learning.research.support@canterbury.ac.uk