This document provides an overview of developing a research strategy, including defining your topic, conducting background research using tertiary sources and detailed research using primary and secondary literature found in databases. It discusses the different types of research literature and guides the reader through searching key databases like PsycINFO, Social Sciences Citation Index, and using RefWorks for organizing sources.

1. PSYC 3401
Experimental Psychology
Prof Kathleen Baril
Heterick Memorial Library

2. What we will cover
•Review developing a research strategy
•Learn about primary, secondary and
tertiary literature
•Learn how to find articles in databases
•Learn how to keep track of resources
using Refworks

3. Types of Research Literature
Adapted from Marian Koshland Bioscience and Natural Resources Library:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/BIOS/bio1bscholcomm.html and Virginia Teach
University Libraries http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/research/primary-secondary-
tertiary.html
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary

4. In the sciences, the primary literature presents the
immediate results of research activities. It often
includes analyses of data collected in the field or
the laboratory.
Primary Literature

5. Examples:
•Original Research – found as articles in
peer-reviewed journals
•Dissertations
•Conference Proceedings
Primary Literature : Examples

6. The secondary literature summarizes and
synthesizes the primary literature. It is both
broader and less current than the primary literature.
Since most information sources in the secondary
literature contain exhaustive bibliographies, they
can be useful for finding more information on a
particular topic.
Examples: Monographs (books) and Literature
Reviews
Secondary Literature

7. Tertiary literature presents summaries or
condensed versions of materials, usually with
references back to the primary and/or secondary
sources.They can be a good place to look up facts
or get a general overview of a subject, but they
rarely contain original material.
Examples:Textbooks, Dictionaries, Encyclopedias
Tertiary Literature

8. DEFININGYOURTOPIC
Research Strategy

9. Defining your topic
Identify key
search terms
for your topic.

10. DEFINING YOUR TOPIC
BACKGROUND
RESEARCH
If needed, you
will want to get
an overview of
your topic.
Reference
works can help
as well as
general books.
Research Strategy

11. Find tertiary literature using the library’s
catalog to find background information on
your topic.
Background Research:
Library Catalog

12. DEFINING YOUR TOPIC
BACKGROUND
RESEARCH
DETAILED
RESEARCH
With a basic
understanding of
your topic, it is
time to delve
deeper into the
research using
databases.
Research Strategy

13. Scholarly versus Popular Periodicals
Magazines or Popular Periodicals
• Glossy pages and lots of pictures
• Edited by magazine editors
• Articles usually written by staff
journalists
• Short articles
• Targeted to general audiences
Scholarly Journals/Periodicals
• Peer-reviewed
• Longer
• Citations/Bibliography
• Written by scholars, experts in the field
of study
• Targeted to scholars, students in a
particular field of study

14. (for off campus access, click on the “off-campus access”
flag and log in using first and last name and all 11
digits ONU ID )
Finding Secondary and Primary
Literature
Use the following databases to search for
Secondary and Primary Literature:
• PsycINFO
• Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
Collection
• Medline with FullText
• Social SciencesCitation Index

15. Secondary Literature:
Literature Reviews
What is a literature review?
• Literature reviews (also called review articles) survey and
synthesize primary research on a particular topic.
• They are articles authored by researchers and published in
scholarly journals
• They summarize multiple primary research articles
• They are secondary literature
from Marian Koshland Bioscience and Natural Resources Library:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/BIOS/bio1bscholcomm.html

16. Secondary Literature:
Literature Reviews
Why are literature reviews a good starting point for
researching a topic?
• They provide an overview of a particular area of
study
• Their extensive reference lists may be used to locate
further relevant articles
• They may provide ideas for narrowing a too-broad
topic
from Marian Koshland Bioscience and Natural Resources Library:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/BIOS/bio1bscholcomm.html

17. Primary Literature
To determine if an article is primary research, look for
clues in the citation, look for data tables and scan the
abstract for a description of the methods or materials
used, hypotheses, evidence of data collection, etc.

18. Primary Literature
When looking at the full–text article for primary
research look for components such as:
• Methods or Materials and Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• References

19. PsycINFO
Click on Databases tab to begin searching for
articles.

20. PsycINFO
Choose database by title or via subject.

21. PsycINFO
Main search page, use the limiters to narrow your
search, options include peer-reviewed, limit by
date, age group and methodology.

22. PsycINFO
Click here to access
the full-text of the
article.
Click on the magnifying
glass to read the abstract
for the article.

23. PsycINFO
Click on Find It @ ONU to locate full-text in other
databases.
Click on the link to access the full-text.

24. •“General” databases which are
searchable by subject, title, author,
etc.
•Citation databases allow you to see
how many times an article has been
cited.
•An article that has been cited several
times is probably important in the
field of study.
Citation Databases

25. •Gauge significance of individual articles &
authors
•Uses expertise of experts in the field
•Gives insight into research patterns in
different disciplines
•Can save you time – especially when doing
more rigorous research
Citation Databases

26. Social Sciences Citation Index

27. Social Sciences Citation Index
In Results, use the facets at
the left to narrow your
search.

28. Social Sciences Citation Index
In Results, you can sort by Times Cited to find the
most important articles on your topic.

29. Social Sciences Citation Index
Click on Times Cited to see the articles that have
cited a Highly Cited Paper. Reviewing this research
will allow you to view the related research on the
same topic.

30. Social Sciences Citation Index
Click on the Linksource (LS) symbol to
access the full-text of the article.

31. Search
Includes the library’s catalog POLAR,
OhioLINK, and most of the library’s
database.

32. Use Facets to LimitYour Results

33. DEFINING YOUR TOPIC
BACKGROUND
RESEARCH
DETAILED
RESEARCH
FINAL
PRODUCT
Research Strategy

34. Refworks

35. QUESTIONS?
•Ask at the Reference Desk
•Phone the Reference Desk – 2185
•Contact us by E-mail
reference@onu.edu
•Feel free to contact directly, Kathleen
Baril, k-baril@onu.edu or 419-772-2188