Do we have access to some of Notre Dame's information systems?
Yes, Saint Mary's students may go to Hesburgh Library and use Notre Dame subscribed databases as a guest.
How do you find how many people cited an article on PsycINFO?
In PsycINFO you may see how many articles were cited by the author of the article you are viewing (looking to the past literature that informed the article). To see how many people cited the article in their own work (looking to the future influence the article you are viewing has had on the scholarly conversation), use Google Scholar or the database Web of Science at Notre Dame (see question above).
No questions other than, why didn't I research over the summer??
Ha!
How do I get articles that don't have full text available on PsycINFO?
You may ask the library to borrow the article from another library directly from within PsycINFO. Click on and then, "Request this article from Interlibrary Loan." The article will be emailed to you.
What if Google Scholar doesn't have the article (to find out how many people have cited a particular article).
Try finding the article on Web of Science.(see A-Z Database list)
What if I can't find enough information on my topic?
Consult with the psychology liaison librarian (me! jhobgood@saintmarys.edu). Email me and we can set up a consultation. You may also ask the reference librarian at the reference desk of Cushwa-Leighton Library during these hours,
Reference Hours
Mon - Thur 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM (No reference service 5 PM - 6 PM)
Fri 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sun - 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
How do I make sure that I have enough information & articles? and I'm afraid that I will not find enough quality articles.
Consult with Professor Pittman. Ask a reference librarian for help finding additional relevant, scholarly articles.
If I'm not finding exactly what I'm looking for (I'm only finding articles that sort of fit), are there other places to look?
Yes, think about your topic in a multi-disciplinary way. Are there other disciplines that inform your topic? To find databases beyond PsycINFO click on "Research by Subject" on the library's home page. Navigate to a second discipline that is related to your topic and discover databases librarians recommend in that field ("Articles" tab).
Also, don't hesitate to use Google Scholar as a broad based article search engine. Then, when you discover an article via Google Scholar that you want, return to the library homepage and use the "Interlibrary Loan" link to request the article.
How many sources do I need to have cited in my paper?
Good question, how many is enough? A few questions to ask yourself: have you located enough sources to inform an answer to your research question? Are there weaknesses in your arguments that you need additional sources to strengthen? Have you asked your professor for guidance? Science isn't done in isolation - the conversations you have among a community of scholars are essential.
Some quote as a rule of thumb, use at least one source for each page of required length of paper. You will have to decide for yourself if this rule of thumb is appropriate.
How much should I focus on a few articles that are very relevant to my research?
Try to broaden your search to include other authors who can substantiate the findings. By reading more broadly you may discover other aspects of the topic/experiment the original author did not fully develop.
I can't find many articles on the effect of social media on students' ability to focus on school work. What are some good keywords to use?
Rather than keywords, let's try searching with the controlled language of subject headings. In PsycINFO select "SU Subject" from the drop down menu in the searching fields and search with various combinations of these subject headings:
social media
online social networks
computer mediated communication
school learning
learning
academic achievement
metacognition
attention span
concentration
sustained attention
Information on your topic will also be found in the EBSCOhost databasee, Communication and Mass Media Complete and ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center).
How can I keep narrowing down keywords?
Find one article that is at least touching on the topic you are interested in; click on the title of this article; look at the subject headings listed. Investigate the "Thesaurus" tab (blue tab near the top of PsycINFO interface) to identify other narrower subject headings.
How do I narrow all the things out there into one specific research question?
In the early stages of your literature review your draft research question may well undergo changes. As you read more about your topic you will be able to refine, narrow, and hone your research question. Don't hesitate to engage in conversation about your research question with your professor, other scholars in senior seminar, and with reference librarians,
