LibGuides: Library Tools for Psychology Students: Home

Using Psychology Databases

Go to www.apu.edu/library and click on Articles and Databases by Subject or Major.

Scroll down to Psychology and click on it to see a list of psychology databases available through APU.

PsycINFO is usually the best place to start your journal research. It is a very large database produced by the American Psychological Association and includes material all the way back to 1887! Just click on the title to get started. If you are off-campus, you will be asked for your APU NetID and password (same as for your APU email) right after you click on the title of the database. Once the system recognizes you as an APU student, you will have access to PsycINFO and all other APU databases.

You can also choose searching more than one database that covers psychology by clicking on Choose Databases. HAPI and APA PsycArticles are recommended:

Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a great way to find citations for scholarly journal articles and books. Sometimes the full text of an article or book will be available but often it will not be available in the database you are searching. Or you just need a specific title. Google Scholar will search all our databases and connect you. Before you begin searching, it's a good idea to set up your Scholar Preferences so that you will be able to tell if the APU Libraries have the article or book you are looking for in Google Scholar. Here's what to do:

Step 1. Go to the Google Scholar homepage at scholar.google.com. If you are not signed in, sign in with your APU credentials.

Step 2. Click on the three bar menu to go to "Settings" at the top left of the screen.

Step 3. On the next screen, click on "Library Links"

Step 4. Next, check the boxes all stating APU and Open WorldCat-Library Search:

Step 5. Click on "Save" at the bottom of the screen.

Now you are ready to start searching. If you need access again, just go to scholar.google.com or go the library home page>Artciels and Databases>All Databases A-Z and select G for Google Scholar:

You will see a link every time there is an article or book which is available either through the APU online databases or in print at one of the APU libraries. You may also see PDF versions of articles available online from other colleges and universities; some of them you will be able to access and some of them you won't. Example:

If you need an article for which the PDF is NOT available in Google Scholar or other databases, you can request them through the Article Request Form available through the ILL Services page under Non-APU owned articles. We are able to locate most articles within a few days of your request; they will be emailed to you free of charge. Never pay for articles!