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Universiteitsbibliotheek – LibGuides

EBM Literature Sources : 5. APA PsycInfo

PsycINFO

APA PsycInfo start page in Ovid

Utrecht University Library allows you to search PsycInfo using OVID.

PsycInfo contains more than 5 million bibliographic records centered on psychology and the behavioral and social sciences. You can find more information (incl the journal coverage list) from the website of the American Psychological Association (APA)

Searching in PsycInfo

In the boxes on this page you will find information on searching in PsycInfo:

  • Searching for keywords in title / abstract / keywords
  • Searching with subject headings
  • Combining searches
  • Tips & Tricks

Searching in title / abstract / keywords

Just like searching in other databases, you can search in title, abstract and keywords. Click on the tab: 'Search fields' and tick the boxes: Title (ti), Abstract (ab) and Key Concepts (id). Then choose My Fields, enter your words into the search box and click on 'search'.

In the history you will see for example:

You can also type in the fieldcodes after your search term in the search box, for example: family therapy.ti,ab,id (the order doesn't matter)

Searching with Subject Headings

Under the tab 'Advanced search' you can search for Subject Headings (cf. MeSH terms) by ticking the box Map Term to Subject Heading, then the system automatically searches for suitable subject headings for the words you enter in the search box.

 

You can also use the Search Tools option.

Tick the box(es) for one or more suitable subject headings and choose Continue to search with your chosen subject heading(s).

You can reduce the number of references by removing the checkmark at 'Auto Explode'. Narrower terms like for instance "Conjoint Therapy" will not be included.
NB It is recommended to always click on the selected subject heading to see what synonyms (Used For), broader, narrower or related terms are available. Then be aware that if you want to include narrower terms you need to check the box Explode again

Combining searches

Your Search History allows you to combine individual searches. In the example below within the domain of the search question we tick the boxes 1 and 2 and afterwards click on Combine with: OR.

Tips and tricks

For a Basic Search, enter a word, phrase or question in the search box in ordinary language. OVID uses natural language processing to find results.

For example: 'Should returning soldiers be screened on PTSD?'. You will find relevant references in a quick and dirty way. For conducting a systematic search analyze these references for Key Concepts and Subject Headings and set up a comprehensive search.

Find lots of tips and tricks in the Quick Reference Guide of OVID!