PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology

This is the Psychology 101 LibGuide - a "research homepage" specifically designed for Intro. to Psychology students! Here you will find links to the library resources that are most relevant to your field of study and most likely to help you in your research. That doesn't mean these are the ONLY resources you should use, but they are a good place to start! 

If you need help locating, accessing, or evaluating sources, please contact a Librarian - we are here to help you!

There are 6 steps to getting started with your research

1. Understand your assignment
2. Choose a topic
3. Write a research question
4. Generate keywords
5. Find background information
6. Begin searching for scholarly and topic-specific sources

To begin, go to the Starting Your Research guide and work through steps 1-4. 

Step 5: Find Background Information.

You need to locate reliable background information in order to

• Get an idea of what kind of information, generally, is out there on your topic
• Generate a list of more field-specific search terms and keywords for future searches
• Find a few good bibliographies that will get you started on the research trail

Here are a few great places to find background information:

• SAGE Knowledge (eBook database) - a database of subject-specific reference materials (like encyclopedias).
• WISE (Westminster's Library Catalog) - academic books are a great resource 
• Credo Reference - a database covering a wide range of topics and disciplines from around the globe. This is a great resource to find statistics and general facts about specific countries.

Don't forget, research is an iterative process.  You'll likely have to continue refining your topic, your search terms, and your resources throughout your project.

When you are ready for Step 6: Searching for Scholarly and Topic-Specific Sources, Click Resources on the left menu to begin!