In-class Exercises:

PsycInfo Exercise

Please answer the following questions regarding PsycINFO:

  1. How can you find peer-reviewed articles in PsycINFO? (Hint: there is more than one way—can you identify at least two methods?)
  2. Choose a topic to search in PsycINFO. What are at least three ways you could narrow your search results?
  3. Run the same search in Google Scholar. What differences do you notice between the results in PsycINFO and Google Scholar?

Book Exercise #1

Scenario:
You are working on your final paper for a course, and your professor highly recommends reading Chapter 7 (“Using Transnational Feminist Theory to Expand Domestic Violence Understandings” by Guthery, et al.) in this book:

Collins, L. H., Machizawa, S., & Rice, J. K. (2019). Transnational psychology of women: Expanding international and intersectional approaches. American Psychological Association.

Question: What are your options for obtaining this chapter from the book?

Book Exercise #2

Scenario:
You need to read four (4) chapters from the following book, in preparation for section meeting:

Aleksander, I. (2015). Impossible minds: My neurons, my consciousness (Revised Edition). Imperial College Press.

Question: What are your options for obtaining the chapters from the book?

Citation Analysis Exercise

In separate tabs of your browser, open up Google Scholar, PsycINFO and Web of Science; look up the following article in each:

Hooley, J. M. (2007). Expressed emotion and relapse of psychopathology. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 3, 329–352.

Questions:

1. How many times has this article been cited, according to Google Scholar?
2. How many times has this article been cited, according to PsycINFO?
3. How many times has this article been cited, according to Web of Science?
4. Why is there such a difference between the citation counts?

Hints – look at the following:

  • What is the first citation listed in each database? Are they the same in all 3 databases?
  • What about the first 5 citations – are any of the “top 5” the same in all 3 databases?
  • Which database focuses more on peer-reviewed research articles?
  • Which database focuses more on just psychology papers?

5. Which database offers the most sorting options for citations?

Hints – look at the following:

  • Which database(s) sort chronologically?
  • Which database(s) sort by relevance?
  • Which database(s) sort by “Times Cited” and “Usage Count”?