PsycINFO is a database published by EBSCO Industries that covers subjects related to psychology and the social sciences. It contains over 3 million records and can be accessed through the library's website by searching or browsing for it. The database supports basic searches with automatic Boolean operators and advanced searches that allow limiting by fields like date, publication type, and age group. It is a useful resource for topics related to psychological aspects of issues in forensic and national security sciences.

1. Alex Ortiz, Lindsay Blotzer, and Sarah Crill

2. What is PsycINFO?
• Published by EBSCO Industries
• Supplies 76 total databases
• Covers subjects such as Communication
Science, Disability Studies, Education, Forensic and
National Security Sciences, Psychology, and Social
Wor

3. Accessing PsycINFO
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Click on Databases from the library’s home page
Option A: Type PsycINFO into the search bar and press search
OR
Option B: Scroll down the list of subjects and select Forensic and
National Security Sciences
• PsycINFO is database number 8 on the subsequent page

4. Basic isSearch
 There an automatic
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Boolean
Words are treated
separately
Quoted search phrases
(e.g. “forensic
confirmation bias”) will
be searched as phrase
and individual words
Gives option to sort by
newest, oldest, author,
and source – ranked by
relevance automatically
Can limit results by
year, publication type,
population group

5. Advantages of an Advanced Search
 Allows you to limit
your search before
starting with options
of
Date, Title, Publicatio
n type, Age
Group, Language, etc.
 Allows you to use
AND, OR, and/or
NOT between words
or phrases
 Field selection is also
optional (i.e.
abstract, author, docu
ment type) for each
individual search
term

6. Truncation and Stemming
 Truncation is available, but it is not automatic
 If you want to use truncation put an asterisk (*) at the
end of the root of the word
 For example, “comput*” will search
computer, computation, computing, etc.

7. Future use?
 PsycINFO is useful for searches related to psychological aspects
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
of the issue at hand
Fairly straightforward and advanced search is easily accessible
Can access citations and abstracts; links to SU library accessible
or full text may be available (PDF link)
Results can be emailed, printed, saved, etc.
Results can also be stored in a folder for future access